"Be still and know that I am God"

As we depart for summer vacations or tend to chores around the house and yard, this familiar verse of Psalm 46:10 reminds us to pay attention.

Yes, we fill days with so many activities, even on vacation.  This summer, remember to take some deep breaths and really look around wherever you are.

Whether a sight is unusual or ordinary, consider how it is part of the intricate world that God has created:  desert serenity where the rest of the world is distant, vast open land and skies in the Great Plains and prairies, majestic mountains bathed in shades of deep green or composed of sedimentary rock in spectacular color at different times of day, hawks wheeling at eye level near the top of a gorge, rivers or lakes sparkling in bright sunlight, wide beaches where ocean waves crash to shore and slide out again in infinite variety, or even colorful flowers growing in sidewalk cracks.

When you weed the garden or plant flowers, feel the soil in your fingers.  Perennials arrive each year at their appointed season: hydrangeas, day lilies, blue bells, roses, crepe myrtle, dogwood, redbud, and many others that bring color to the yard, garden, and roadside.  Annuals from seeds or tiny plants each year add further color: sunflowers, geraniums, petunias, pansies, and many more.

Locally, it’s easy to go to a beach to relax in a chair, take long walks, and play ball or Frisbee with family, friends, and pets.  At Hilton Pier, you can fish or enjoy watching others cast their lines into the river.  Stand on a beach or pier and marvel at a different sunset or sunrise any time you visit. 

Leo Lionni’s classic children’s book Frederick was a fable about a little mouse who bathed in sunset glow and absorbed the colors and sights of summer while the others gathered food for the winter.  The other mice thought he was lazy and worthless.  During the dark winter days when those food stores were nearly exhausted, Frederick shared his memories of these sights and the sun’s warmth to bring them comfort.  Even on our busiest days, we should remember to fill our minds and hearts with the sights all around us and remember that God is always present in them.

Stop, take time to take it in, to listen, and to revel in God’s amazing creation of God.

--- Melissa Sale