thankful thursday - beauty & the heat

Living in the desert southwest, we are used to prolonged periods of extreme heat that would fry much of the rest of the country. While it is true that ours is "a dry heat," what that really means is that nearly every drop of moisture is sucked out of just about every living thing.

(Death Valley National Park, August 2014)

The hottest day on record in Phoenix, Arizona was June 26, 1990 when the mercury reached 122 degrees Fahrenheit. I could feel my lips cracking and skin drying out when I walked outside to get the mail. Asphalt became sticky, adhering to the soles of shoes. It was miserable. But fortunately, it is rarely that hot.

We had a heat wave this past week with the highest temperature reaching 117 degrees Fahrenheit last Friday. The sun is blazingly bright as it reflects off sidewalks, pools, light poles, cars and other metallic objects in the summertime making it seem even hotter. 

So what is there to be thankful for?

I am thankful that even in the scorching heat of summer, God has given us plants with beautiful flowers that are both heat-resistant and require little water. 

They are a feast for the birds and insects that drink their sweet nectar as well as a welcome respite for our eyes (and minds!) from the dazzlingly brilliant sun. We feel a good ten degrees cooler just looking at them - and more than that if there is a breeze (something else to be thankful for in the summertime!