I don’t know what it is but I have been floored by God’s kind and caring display of beauty in his creation this spring, his flora and fauna extravaganza. Wow!
As I walked around our modest “estate” this morning I felt like the richest person in the world. I believe we have maybe one-third of an acre, but it is God’s gift to us. There’s something about life that expands and deepens when we recognize the source of everything good. Eating a simple breakfast knowing that our Father in heaven provided that daily bread is a humbling experience filled with thanksgiving. It’s more than bacon and eggs, or a bagel, or a bowl of Cheerios. It is our gracious God providing for his child, his servant, his creation. Yo, baby!
Late summer of 2006 my wife and I purchased $3 clearance trees from our local Rural King. One of them wasn’t even tagged; we didn’t know what it was, but for three bucks. . .
Walking this around the yard early this morning and seeing little crab apples and miniature pears. . .I worshiped.
We have transplanted trees and bushes and pampas grass from my late mother-in-law. This spring a friend gave us a blue spruce and an apple tree. Pretty cool to already see little apples on that tree, Larry. Thanks.
And grass. Does God know what he’s doing or what? Simple, beautiful, functionally superb.
God provides. We plant; he waters and causes to grow.
And it keeps going. We have a dog and a cat inside that usually provide joy and companionship. Two big neighbor dogs that come to the back door like hobos and help us keep the fridge clean. How can such a big, powerful animal be so affectionate and make us feel the way we do? God. That’s how he does stuff.
And I can’t leave out the birds. We love watching them, providing food, water and shelter. God is there also, another picture of his involvement in his creative work.
Can’t wait to see the robins enjoying some of those apples!
(James 1:17 GW) Every good present and every perfect gift comes from above, from the Father who made the sun, moon, and stars. The Father doesn’t change like the shifting shadows produced by the sun and the moon.
Dave –
My family spent this weekend mostly being outside and enjoying creation. Marveling at how a log in a fire pit from Saturday night can still be hot enough to start another fire Sunday night. (Boy, there has to be an entire sermon right there. 🙂
We had a visitor at our house for the last couple months. A bird (a house finch, I believe) built a nest atop a wind chime hanging from our front porch, so we got a day-by-day up-close view into just how quickly God turns an egg into a bird. Saturday evening, one of the baby birds was standing up and flapping its wings; Monday afternoon, the nest was empty. God has His timing for everything.
We have three transplanted “volunteer” maple trees in our yard, and a $1 poplar sprig that has grown into a 50-foot tree in the front yard. We don’t have apples, but we have beautiful trees that provide a wonderful amount of shade in the afternoon. Our “estate” is also about a third of an acre, but we could not help but be thankful this weekend for what God has given us.
Our one “expensive” tree (a $20 Japanese cherry tree) provides the most beautiful blooms in the spring – and when it blooms, it is *covered* in bees. I can only imagine that the bees are actually *happy* that God has provided them with so much nectar and pollen. I personally feel that bees are some of the most extraordinary things that God has created – I can watch them for hours, and they don’t even seem to notice me….
… but I notice them, and it makes me notice God. Being thankful brings incredible joy at how God has really blessed us.
Pretty groovy. And, yes, we see life differently when we are thankful. It’s like we get x-ray vision of God’s activity and presence all around us.
Your tree experience sounds very similar to ours; we just appreciate so much enjoying these gifts and watching God work. The little birds had to be great entertainment.