Go Outside

Today is a wonderful day, sure the weather is a little chilly and the wind is blowing, but it is still a beautiful fall day. Ohiopyle is one of the best places to go during the fall months because the leaves are changing, the waterfalls look different and the air of it all is just different than the spring and summer months. There is just something different. There are at least two or three different waterfalls there, one which we lovingly call the big falls because well...it's big are simply gorgeous. I am going to try and get a picture of it while we are there for the Buckwheat Festival.

It is places like Ohiopyle and Jumonville that remind me of Jesus praying in the garden. I picture Him beside/under a huge tree with water of some sort nearby. Jesus felt at peace in the garden, with nature. Some of my favorite authors have said that it is in nature when we feel the closest to God. Why wouldn't we? Nature is the best example of God's power and divine design. Not a single human can duplicate the power God has. Sure we can plant trees, flower, create man made lakes/ponds, but it is God that really makes it all happen. God makes the plants grow. I think we do not spend enough time in Nature, or just simply outside.

I know people are going to say "but it's cold out" so what, we have sweaters and jackets, hats, etc to keep us warm. I was just going through again pictures Jeremy took on one of his hiking adventures and he's all bundled up. I could imagine that even if it were cold out Jesus would still be in that garden praying. He would be covered up more, maybe with a blanket, but then again he just may endure the cold just to have special prayer time with God in Nature. Whenever I am walking around Nature no matter where it is, I feel closer to God. It seems like that is when I could hear Him the best.

I find myself asking questions as I would my closest of friends. We have conversations the best when there is nothing to distract me and His glory all about. I find myself getting answers to my questions and understanding some things better when I just sit on a rock admiring the trees or even the small stream by my house. I think when we take the time to just spend with God somewhere other than our homes and churches we would find things to be different. Go outside, watch the sunset, watch primroses bloom, dance with your loved one under that stars....whatever you do, go outside and experience God. Talk to Him and listen for Him to reply without distractions.

J-O-Y

This past week I saw a huge difference between adult and children. Even teens. From what I hear the teens wanted another impromtu session of prayer so they could pray together. How often do we adults say "hey lets pray one more time before we leave"?

During one of the RWG's at camp the kids learned about sacrifice and what it means to sacrifice something for someone else. Georgine made a little memory thing: J-O-Y: Jesus Others You: to help the kids see what sacrifice is: putting others before yourself. When we had prayer afterwards Pastor Marvin asked if any of the kids wanted to do more for God, sacrifice more for God; all of their hands went up, and they didn't know who put them up cause their heads were bowed and eyes closed. Kids ages between 6 to 10 all wanted to be more for God; I was slightly amazed.

When Pastor Paul asked the same question in church barely anyone stood up and said they wanted to sacrifice more. Is it because they didn't want people to know they fall short? If that is the case; we all fall short of God's glory. Do they think they don't need to sacrifice more? I had a teacher who always said "there's room for improvement" and I think the same goes for sacrifice; there's always room to do more for God.

For many J-O-Y doesn't exist. They think Jesus Me Others is a good order for things, but really it's not. Some find it hard to put others before themselves, but what I saw in my kids were the exact opposite. Granted there were fights and misunderstandings but that always happens, sometimes alittle selfishness, but most of the time they were willing to anything for one another. Should we adults have the same outlook? Shouldn't we be willing to help anyone out in the name of Jesus? When we have clothes we don't wear, don't throw them away donate them to a local shelter or Goodwill. There is always something more we can do. More we can sacrifice.

God's Glory

Since the weather has been quite favorable, Todd and I have been spending a lot of time outside, walking around Ohiopyle, Mingo Park and other places where we are in the middle of nature. The other day we had a talk about the beauty of nature. A couple leaves were blowing in the wind as if they were dancing. It was so beautiful. Our discussion progressed to the idea of druids, and how they worship nature to the extent of saying everything in nature is God.

While I don't agree that God is a tree or even a rock, his beauty and glory are in them. He created nature just as he created us, shouldn't we admire it and see his wonder within it? Have you sat a watched the sun set and wonder why each night the colors are different? Because God wants them to be different. To show us his glory within the sun setting. The same is with the trees and flowers. It still too a plan and a design to create tress and water.

I laughed at one point saying it was like God said "I want a tree here" and poof there is a tree. God has power and majesty and that shows in everything he created. See this eagle: it's a young bird but looks so powerful and full of God's glory. Watching it land and fan it's feathers out was so wonderful. It was awe-inspiring. I have to wonder why people would want to harm such a beautiful creation of God.

It is one thing to admire the beauty God has created for us, but another thing to sit and worship those same things. We can admire nature while we give glory to God saying "I see your power and glory. Only you could have created such beauty." Spend a day in nature somewhere, anywhere even just your own porch. Listen to what sitting in nature tells you about God. You just may find yourself talking to him as a long lost friend.