Right Under Our Nose

            The summer of 2019 provided my wife, Ann, and I the opportunity to travel to a number of states far away from our home in North Carolina.  We live in a beautiful country and I am grateful for the chance we had to see some of its beauty:  the grandeur of the Rockies as we stood on the summit of  Pikes Peak in Colorado… the glory of a thunderstorm moving across the plains of southern Colorado… the rocky, rugged Maine coast… the wonder of a sunset over the Blue Ridge mountains.   These are some of the sights we saw this summer, and what a joy it was to share it with my wife.

It occurs to me that sometimes we can get so busy and consumed with the thought of the beauty of places far away from home that we miss the beauty and wonder of what is right under our noses.   Perhaps you do not have the time, health, or monies to go to far away places.   I encourage you to see the wonder of God and His creation right around you.   These sights will not cost you airfare, lodging, or a rental car.   They are waiting for us to see if we will simply take time to behold them.  Here are a few sights that come to mind:

A hummingbird hovering as it drinks the nectar from a feeder

A sunrise to begin a new day and a sunrise as day ends

The fog rising as the ground feels the warmth of a new day

A full moon rising in the east

The changing of the leaves on the trees around you from green to autumn colors

The sight of a young child discovering the world around it

            Look and listen to the world around you that awaits your discovery and awareness.   And as you discover it,  remember that it is a gift from the mighty, omnipotent God.  Have a  joy-filled week. --  Pastor Randy Wall

Prayer:   God,  forgive me for the times that I yearn to see the wonder of places far away but miss the wonder of the things that are near.   Still my body and spirit to see the wonder of our handiwork right around me;  through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.