CHASING LIGHT

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 117

Whew…

We just got home from our whirlwind “Friday Night Date Night” adventure. We really didn’t lollygag as much tonight; well, except for when my wife asked, “Can we stop first at Ulta?” (That’s code for: Dude, just stay in the car; I’m gonna buy some girly stuff.) She didn’t have to convince me; I kept my seat warm and caught up on the news. But let me tell ya: the dead move faster. Anyway, I digress.

We sped through our normal shopping experience. First (planned) stop: Sam’s. Bing-bang, zippity-zap; we were in and out of the retail giant lickety-split. Next stop: Dunkin’. Since donuts are obviously a health food, we wanted to grab a few "sugary angels" for our early-to-rise round-robin jaunt to see the folks tomorrow. Lastly, supper—not the usual tonight, though; we opted for Chinese instead.

The Panda Buffet (I think that’s the name) isn’t bad for Minnesota Chinese food. It could use a bit more spice, but ya know, the restaurant’s in Minnesota. Here, butter is a condiment and spices are… well, what are spices again?

After a trip through the buffet, we hit the road. Following two detours through the growing construction sites near the river, we were finally speeding toward home; and that’s when I noticed the grandeur of the sunset before us.

Hmm… let me correct the record. By the time I noticed, the sun had actually dipped below the horizon—a phase affectionately known as “blue hour.” And oh my—the colors were stunning, to say the least. God sure knows how to paint the sky! For the next half hour of our westward drive, we chased the light as the sun continued to dip further below the horizon line.

It’s not usual in these parts to have a completely cloudless night. But perhaps due to the high winds, that’s what we had tonight; and because of that, the colors were just fantastic, highlighting the dark silhouettes of the surrounding countryside.

This evening was just one of those nights when I wished I’d had my camera gear in the car. The only problem would have been that we’d never have gotten home, and the dogs would’ve been doing the potty dance. Because when you’re chasing the light, you’ll stay out for as long as the light allows, and time—well, what’s that?

I’m grateful for the breathtaking sunset and tonight’s display of colorful light. For me, sunsets like these never get old. Living in Minnesota makes evenings like tonight all the more precious. I think it’s neat that even my Nebraska friends, who’ve called that part of the country “home” for their entire lives, never tire of the Cornhusker State’s spectacular skies. I miss those skies and our friends there. But being so close to family? That’s even more precious.

Perhaps tomorrow night, God will again bless us with another evening of chasing the light on our two-hour drive home. This evening, I remember the Psalmist’s words:

“Praise the Lord! Praise, O servants of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord! Blessed be the name of the Lord from this time forth and forevermore! From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” Amen.

Thank you, God, for the beautiful sunset this evening. The beauty of the skies reminds me of your creative hand and the wonders of your love. May your name forever be praised with your Word upon our hearts.