As the sun is coming up this morning it is an abnormal reddish deep-pumpkin-orange color. (due to the wildfire smoke from eastern WA) It’s fascinating how the sun being a different color from what is normal is very unsettling! It makes you feel a bit nervous … as if something is off with the world.
Here you can see the sunrise from my son’s house …
And here is the sunrise from hubby’s work …
Even before the season of orange (due to wildfire smoke) arrived in full force, my gladiolus on the back deck began blooming … in orange.
Whenever my gladiolus blooms, I think of it as: Gladness time! (because the word “gladiolus” is so similar to “gladness”)
“Gladness time” has arrived … at the exact same time as the season of orange … and the “Gladness” (this year) is in orange!
I find that very fascinating!
My daughter gave me the gladiolus bulbs/corms as a gift for Mother’s Day two years ago. There was a package of yellow gladiolus (with 3 little bulbs/corms) and a package of pink gladiolus (with 3 little bulbs/corms).
That first summer I had 1 bloom spire … and it was yellow!
The second summer (last year) I had 1 bloom spire … and it was a deep crimson red! What?? I was expecting pale pink. But I loved the deep crimson red!
This year … the gladiolus is blooming a brilliant orange! Totally a surprise, but I love it!
I love the fact that when the season of orange (due to wildfires) arrived, God also had “Gladness time” arrive in orange as well!
Many hundreds of thousands of people have had to evacuate from their homes over in the eastern part of my state. My son and daughter-in-law have good friends who had to evacuate from their home and wound up stuck in backed-up traffic on the freeway for hours, unable to move or go anywhere.
Other friends tried to evacuate, but because all the roads were blocked with traffic they couldn’t actually go anywhere. So they went back home and prayed for God’s protection and safety. They slept with their day-clothes on, and their car packed and ready-to-go if need be … and God brought them safely through the danger.
Even in the season of orange (with raging wildfires!) … God also has “Gladness time” in that he is protecting and covering his people! Even in the season of orange, God is here! God is taking care of his people!
“I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone O LORD, make me dwell in safety.” – Psalm 4:8
“The LORD guards the lives of his faithful ones and delivers them.” – Psalm 97:10
“Even in darkness light dawns for the upright.” – Psalm 112:4
“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.’ … He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.” – Psalm 91:1-4
“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth [even in the season of orange]. Worship the LORD with gladness [even in the season of orange]; come before him with joyful songs [even in the season of orange]. Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.” – Psalm 100:1-3
“The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. … Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” – Psalm 23:1-4
