August 6

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. — Ps 103:2

Wiser it were to welcome and make ours
Whate’er of good, though small, the Present brings,—
Kind greetings, sunshine, song of birds, and flowers,
With a child’s pure delight in little things.
—R. C. TRENCH.

Into all our lives, in many simple, familiar, homely ways, God infuses this element of joy from the surprises of life, which unexpectedly brighten our days, and fill our eyes with light. He drops this added sweetness into His children’s cup, and makes it to run over. The success we were not counting on, the blessing we were not trying after, the strain of music, in the midst of drudgery, the beautiful morning picture or sunset glory thrown in as we pass to or from our daily business, the unsought word of encouragement or expression of sympathy, the sentence that meant for us more than the writer or speaker thought,—these and a hundred others that every one’s experience can supply are instances of what I mean. You may call it accident or chance—it often is; you may call it human goodness—it often is; but always, always call it God’s love, for that is always in it. These are the overflowing riches of His grace, these are His free gifts. —S. LONGFELLOW.