Nature Prevails
This past week has been a very difficult one for our country and for people of all races, beliefs, backgrounds and colors in wake of the murder of George Floyd. I do not have any words to add to the thousands that have been spoken already except to say I stand in prayer and solidarity with everyone of us who suffers because of this.
‘If one part suffers, every part suffers with it;’ Corinthians 12:26
I’m at home as most of us are these days so I decided to go back to my nature journals to remind myself of the amazing blessings and wisdom I received over the years while camping and hiking and hanging out with the birds and the trees. Nature always soothes, comforts, and provides space for prayer and peace.
Photo by Karen
Photo by Karen
Here’s a part of an entry from August 21, 1998.
In taking home the “glad tidings” of the mountains, of which naturalist John Muir wrote so eloquently, I want to proclaim what the mountains have given me:
Mountains are messengers of strength, joy, peace, steadfastness, challenge, risk, beauty, surprise, unpredictability, welcome, rest, conquest, home.
Photo by Karen
Their flowers fulfill, fascinate, delight, edify, glorify, and praise God.
Rocks provide steps to ascend, benches to rest upon, ‘tables’ for a picnic lunch, blocks to climb, fire rings for holding a campfire under the stars.
Photo by Karen
Trees offer themselves as shelter from the sun and rain, branches for drying wet laundry, perfume from the scent of pine, sculpture for the artist, log benches for the weary.
Praise God for these gifts that we can enjoy while here and take down the mountain with us as we return home.
“You will indeed go out with joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” Isaiah 55:12.
Karen, thanks for sharing this poetic beauty. Peaceful and restorative.
Mona
Thank you for sharing your comment. I appreciate your support.
Beautiful. Let us go forward in peace in all that we do.
I agree. We can’t move forward with anger and hatred. God’s peace is the only way.
Ilove the mountains also.My first husband and I and our two children used to go to the Smoky Mountains every summer and we loved it. Very relaxing.>Today’s troubles in our country are heart breaking. One of my granddaughters has two best friends who are both police officers and they live in an area close to Tampa where they are having a lot of protest. One has been an officer for six years and she is scared. I wish everyone believed in the children’s song we used to sing at church: “Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, Red or Yellow, Black or White they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world.” His love is great for all of us and my heart longs for peace for people to love each other regardless of their color creed or country! Thanks Karen. I love the pictures you sent. Love you too. Margaret
Thanks, Margaret. Those song lyrics touched my heart. I remember them too. God loves all his creatures. Why can’t we as well? The animosity and hatred being displayed is heart-breaking.
Karen it’s a comfort reading what you’ve written and the photos you’ve shared. Nature always brings such peace to the soul. I’m praying for God’s peace, love and healing to spread throughout our world.
I’m praying for the same, Sandy. Our broken world really needs the peace that passes all understanding–that only God can give and that is most often found in nature.
Beautiful, Karen. Your photos and words about what the mountains have given to you are a wonderful reminder of the grace of God seen in His creation. And we certainly need His healing in our land! Thank you.
We sure do need God’s healing of our land, Carol. When I start feeling anxious about what’s ahead (even though I don’t know what that will be) I turn to nature and see how it always recovers no matter what the devastation may have been.
Thanks so much for addressing the current climate with such grace Karen and redirecting our thoughts to the Creator and His beautiful Creation.
It is in times like these when I realize what “Peace in the Storm” really means and am inspired to cherish each waking moment of it.
Prayers continue…
BRC
Thanks, Beth. I continue praying with you and all other prayer warriors. God will see us through. That we can count on.
Amen.
I too have been looking back at our times together in the Sierra Mountains. What beauty, joy, love and happiness God gave us in those times. We must remember and seek the blessings God gives us in these doubling times.
So true, Lynn. God will never leave nor forsake us.
Thanks Karen. The peace, joy, freedom, beauty, fresh air and wide open vistas are indeed such wonderful memories to recapture when we call them back into the moment. I am so very grateful to have them also especially during these very troubling days. God wants us to have a full and abundant life and we are so blessed dear friend. Stay well. Love and peace to all.
Thanks, Kathleen. I’m especially happy that I shared so many of those glorious trips with you. ❤️😊
How about the hymn, How Great Thou Art,
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze
THEN sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art……..
OR
In the Garden, I love the part that says:
He speaks and the sound of His voice
is so sweet that the birds hush their singing.
Even the little birds sing to Him
I am humbled when I think of how He created all this beauty and
we are here to praise Him and give Him the glory
Thank you for this lovely addition to my blog, Joyce. I love these lyrics.