"Red In The Morning ..."

This was our gorgeous sunrise this morning. My camera phone doesn't do the colors justice. It was a really deep orange-red, absolutely stunning.

I remember growing up, as we were eating breakfast, the sky would occasionally be "red," and my folks would recite the well known adage, "Red in the morning, shepherds take warning ... red at night, shepherd's delight." Of course that saying is also known as "Red in the morning, sailors take warning ...," but for some reason we used the "shepherds" version.

It also brought to mind Matthew 16:1-4, "The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed."

Another thing that's interesting, is how quickly the colors of a sunrise or sunset can go by. We really have to be watching and paying attention in order to catch them. We have weather moving in today from the west, so this morning, the clouds mostly covered the sky, with just a dab of clear space in the east. So this little space was where the sun was able to shine through and light up the clouds in a blaze, even if for only a few minutes. It was sure a beautiful start to the day, even if we do have rain or snow coming - that's a blessing, too. It'll be "good for the wheat."