The Beauty of Life


 

We are currently in the midst of a long stretch of 100 plus degree days. It is a brutal Texas summer. Even with irrigation, you get the feeling that every green and growing thing is barely hanging on to life. There is no end in sight as flowers burn up in the blazing sun.
As I walked down the sidewalk, I came upon this pleasant surprise. A delicate little flower, new and beautiful. For a moment, the oppressive heat was forgotten. There was only this moment that seemed stolen from Spring, when the colors of the flowers have yet to fade and the green has not yet been stressed by the heat. It was a gift.
One thing I have noticed over these couple of years of walking is how, in spite of everything that may be going on in the world or going on in a life, there are moments of beauty and power along the way. There are things and people and opportunities that remind us of God’s presence and of our connection to God and to one another. When teaching about God and living in relationship with God, Jesus said to “consider the lilies” and that not a single “sparrow falls from the sky apart from the Father.” All round us are reminders of God, of the good, of the beauty of life. May we have eyes to see. May we pause and be thankful.
Peace.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

God is at Work

Image
In the early morning I was struck with this image. It seems to have it all. Green leaves. Red leaves. Clouds. Blue sky. The cross high and lifted up to the sky. It seemed to me that there was the stuff of several good photos in this one place and at one time. So I took the picture. Life is like that more often than not, isn't it? Good and bad. Happy and sad. Calm and chaos. Peace and turmoil. The season of Advent and the celebration of Christmas acknowledges this reality. The people of old resigned to their fate, yet hoping in the future. John the Baptist bringing the good news that the time had come, yet thundering away at one and all. Mary afraid, yet faithful. A baby is born that changes everything, yet the world remains still weary and violent. But, in the midst of all this, in the midst of the whiplash of everyday life, God is at work. God is present. God is calling. In all of it. In every bit of it. Through it all, God is with us. During these holidays, when joy can be mixed ...
Read more

Home

Image
  I came across this interesting tree the other morning. I was immediately transported back to my childhood and one of my favorite boyhood books, “My Side of the Mountain”. It was about a boy who went off by himself to live in the woods and to find everything he needed provided by nature. I don’t recall how many times I read that book in my elementary school years, but it was plenty. As I recall, he made his home in a tree that had a natural door, much like this one. I dreamed of following in his footsteps and doing the same in the woods behind my house. I never did. Home comes in all kinds of versions. Opulent mansions. Simple cabins. Modest middle-sized houses. Some people have the amazing ability to create home even when they are without a physical home. There are heroes who keep family together through tough transitions and the hardest of times. They commit to staying connected. They love one another. They are accountable to each other as they lift up the heart of what it means...
Read more

Loving Embrace by Barry Hughes

Image
One of the joys of walking each day is passing my neighbors. I may not know their names, but I feel I know many of them from our shared walks. I have names for them in my head, based on the dogs they walk or at what place on my route I usually pass them each day. I am amazed at how many people seem to be creatures of habit, like myself, walking the same course at the same time every day. I must admit that I do wonder, from time to time, what name they have given me as they pass me every day. On occasion, I see people who are new to me. On this morning I came upon the scene of a woman leaving a house for her walk. Suddenly, two small boys rushed out, barefoot and dressed in pajamas, urging her to wait. She stopped and turned, and with beatific smile embraced both boys and shared a few joyful moments with each. It was a touching and heartwarming sight. I imagined that the woman is grandmother to the boys. She is here visiting and these boys awoke as she walked out the door. They did not ...
Read more