Off the Beaten Path

I've been spending time with trees lately. At our church, all across the back of the property, there are lots and lots of trees. In the summer, they are beautiful, green and lush, and I love to hear the sound of the breeze in their many leaves. Some of them look as though they're reaching for heaven. Others are wide and sturdy, firmly rooted to the ground, unmoving and steadfast. Others still are young and wispy, adding a unique and lovely texture to the landscape. Yes, I love trees.

Sunday, upon arriving early for praise team practice, I had a little time to kill. Before I even got there, the trees were calling. So I took my coffee mug and headed out there, past the humming air conditioner unit to the quiet place I love to go. Starting at one end of the little forest, I stood still and listened. The morning was perfectly cool. The sky was bright and blue. The sunny patch just outside the woods invited me to come closer, so I walked slowly to stand in the light, savoring the radiant warmth on my back.

As I stood there, a lovely orange butterfly fluttered up beside me and landed on a leaf. It began to slowly move its wings in the sun, basking in the warmth. Then another butterfly landed closeby, same beautiful color with a different pattern of black. Watching and admiring their stillness, I almost gasped with delight when a tiny green lizard suddenly appeared on a leaf below and joined us sunbathers. He, too, stood perfectly still, soaking up every drop of warmth from that divine patch of sun. What a blessed moment to share with God's glorious creation!

As I continued on my walk, I moved slowly. I listened and I looked at this whole world of nature that so often goes unnoticed. I found what I affectionately call the "cricket tree," because it constantly hums with the music of a multitude of crickets. There were tall stalks of plants that were dying from the ground up; only their crowns were still green. I even found some honeysuckle back there, the remnant of that luscious summer crop, so fragile that, with one touch, the delicate flowers let go and floated silently to the ground. I heard crows conversing in the branches above me. And every now and then, God would bless me with a gentle breeze that carried His still, small voice straight to my reverent heart. "This is my extraordinary creation," He whispered. "And so are you."

As the psalmist did, I also declare that "I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." (Psalm 139:14) And I am reminded that, just like this hidden world I am usually too busy to notice, I am God's workmanship. As wonderful and beautiful and mysterious as these woods are, so am I. As much work as He put into creating everything that grows on the earth, He put something even more glorious inside of me-His very own Holy Spirit. How can I marvel at nature and not at the little piece of creation called Amy Wallace?

The trick is to stop and pay attention once in a while. The wondrous displays of His amazing, creative love are all around me. I just have to stop and look. I am only beginning to understand His command to "Be still and know that I am God." There are so many ways to do that, I believe it will take me a lifetime to even begin to find them all.

Father, thank You for Your mind blowing creativity I find all around me. Thank You for the little surprises and gifts You have hidden in Your creation, just waiting to be discovered by those who seek You. Help me to stop and smell the roses. Help me to take the time to sunbathe with butterflies. Help me to listen for Your still, small voice off the beaten path.

In His awesome love,
Amy


copyright 2010, Amy Wallace