I am linking up for the Five Minute Friday. The FMF is hosted by Kate Motaung on her blog Heading Home. Today’s prompt is “Blue.” Write for five minutes; unedited.
It is summertime on the prairies of North Dakota!
Summertime on the prairies of North Dakota are my favorite thing in the world. The sky is the deepest blue and spreads out as wide and as long as the eyes can see. This time of the year, farmers like my Dad, Uncle and Grandpa can be found basking under that deep blue sky as they plant in the fields scattered to and fro. Under that beautiful blue sky, the dirt blows and covers my Dad, Uncle and Grandpa as they steward the land God gave us.
For me, I love sitting under the deep blue sky, on my patio, shoes kicked off, reading the best books in the world. This last week I finished Ann Voskamp’s One Thousand Gifts. Now I am reading Shauna Neiquist’s Bread and Wine. I want to try every recipe in that book!
The skies this time of year remind me of the awesomeness of God’s creation. God saw all that he created and declared “It is good.” That deep blue sky over my head causes me to pause and take in the beauty of this world. That deep blue sky continually bids me to “Be still and know that God is God.”
As the sun fades into the clouds, the deep blue sky fades away and I sit under the darkness of night knowing in the power of God’s love. I look up and count the stars in the sky. And as I count, I remember this God who knows all the stars in the sky and knows every hair upon our heads; this God who saw darkness and called it night and saw light and called it day and this God who created that deep magnificent blue sky that looms over the magnificent prairies of North Dakota.
And I am so very thankful!
What a great post with so much feeling – so picturesque and full of memories! My family visited South Dakota last spring (we are from WV so it was a trek – in a motor home) and the sky there was big and blue also. Side note – on that trip, I read Ann Voskamp's 1000 gifts! It changed my perspective immensely!
I'm your neighbor on fmf!
Thanks Ruthie! I loved 1000 Gifts too. Thanks for stopping by.
Ahhh, Tara. What beautiful pictures you paint. I love watching springtime breezes sway the grass to and fro. What great glimpses you must get of God's glory where you live.
I love your thankful heart!
Jeanne, thank you! It is so cool to hear that my words paint such a beautiful picture for my readers. Thanks for stopping by!
There really is something about living on the prairie, isn't there? I'm in a valley surrounded by mountains, but I can look out across the flats for miles. It stills my soul.
And you post made me think of the song "Be Still" by Selah. If you've not heard it, go listen!
Marie, there really is something about living on the prairie. It is hard to explain. I hope my words do it justice here. It totally stills my soul to be on the prairie…which is why my blog title is what it is! 🙂 I didn't think I had ever heard that song by Selah before so I listened to it. Thank you!!!
I lived in Big Sky country (Montana) where the lovely mix of mountains and prairies always brought a sense of peace and well-bring to my soul. I love your word pictures and I could imagine your relatives out working the soil. Beautiful!
I am glad you loved my word pictures. Thank You!
There's something amazingly unending about the sky in the prairie states. As much as I love our mountains, there's something so breathtaking about being under immense blue sky. Love your description! ~Annie 🙂
Thanks Annie! I love the mountains too. But nothing really compares to being under that immense blue sky!
Gosh, reading about your prairies and skies makes me want to high tail it out of California. We have blue skies, if you don't count the smog screen. 🙂 Great reflection on having a thankful heart and enjoying His creation – throw in a good book and well that's just bliss! #fmf
I would love it if you high tailed it out of California to my beloved prairies. I would love to show you around. But alas, life beckons! 😛 Yes, a good book, a thankful heart, and enjoying God's creation definitely is pure and total bliss!
Tara, reading your post makes me want to be there looking at those blue skies with you! This time of year with all the new life and warm pre-summer breezes is just a pleasure. Blessings to you! – Tasha
I would love to share those blue skies with you! Blessings to you too Tasha!
Tara, North Dakota sounds beautiful. I have only driven through and it's amazing to watch out the window as miles and miles go by of just open prairie and blue sky. I have read 1,000 Gifts and it was life changing for me. I am just now getting ready to get outside and bring a good read with me! Thanks for the inspiration! 🙂 Happy Friday to you! (stopping by from FMF)
Rachel, North Dakota really is beautiful. She gets a bad rap but if people would actually visit, they would see the immense beauty she beholds! I am glad that you have driven through and gotten to experience some of her beauty. I hope you had a nice afternoon reading outside. Hope you had a great weekend!
What a great post. Sounds like a beautiful place. Thanks for sharing. I enjoyed visiting from FMF. I linked too. I am following you now. Have a good weekend.
Thanks Lynn! Hope you had a great weekend!
Beautiful! Just beautiful! (And I told you about all the recipes! Oh My!)
Thanks Karrilee! And yes those recipes…OH MY INDEED!!! I think I might start with the sweet potato fries.
Tara,
lovely indeed. I too, love those large skies. I lived in Rapid City, SD for 9 years and I miss the summer thunderstorms most of all. And the clear night skies with the warmth of summer, seeing all the stars, how great a reminder indeed of our God!
Thanks for sharing and thanks for visiting!
Love,
Tammy
Thanks Tammy! Summer thunderstorms are beautiful. Those clear night skies with the warmth of summer, seeing all the stars, is one of my fave things and is such a wonderful reminder of our God. Thanks for stopping by.
I enjoyed this post especially the photo of the sky & prairie. Amazing how the same sky can boast such varied beauty. I loved both of the books you mentioned & Shauna's recipes –> wonderful. Enjoy!
Thanks Joanne! The sky and the prairie pic was one of my faves in this post too. Yes it really is amazing how the same sky can boast such varied beauty. I am glad you loved the books I mentioned. I loved 1000 Gifts and am so immensely enjoying Bread and Wine.
Tara, I love your thoughts here! Beautiful photos, too. I know what you mean about the sky spreading "out as long and as wide as the eyes can see." I lived in SD for a school year when my husband taught at Sunshine Bible Academy. What amazed me was that even at 9:00 at night the sun was shining brightly into our picture window! Being from the east, I wasn't used to that. 🙂
Thanks Gayle! And the sun still out at 9 pm that is still one of my fave things about this time of year. Spending more time outside in the daylight…love it! Thanks for stopping by!
One Thousand Gifts is such a great read. I want to read Bread and Wine too. You paint a beautiful picture with words about the beauty of the sky on the prairie. 🙂
Yes 1000 Gifts was a great read! You definitely should read Bread and Wine. I am loving it. And so many great recipes too. I cannot wait to try them. Thanks for saying I paint a beautiful picture with words…sweet words to this blogger/writer's ears. Thanks friend!