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.
Showing posts with label listening. Show all posts
Showing posts with label listening. Show all posts
Oct 11, 2008
Aug 18, 2008
Listen
The other day a friend of mine called she was very upset, but wanted to thank me for my friendship. She was going through a rough time with one of her friends who honestly was not being much of a friend. This friend of hers was threatening to reveal some secrets to my friend's husband. While I don't agree with some of the things my friend has done, I could never imagine doing that. I tell her what I think and the Godly way to handle things and leave it at that. I listen to what she needs to say when she's upset and many of the times I don't try to force her to do something different as many other people would try to do.
When I think about people wanting their friends to listen and just console them by listening to them, I think of Job. He wanted his friends to listen to him, and all they did was tell him he must have sinned greatly against God and made him angry. Finally in Chapter 21 verse 2 Job tells his friends "You can console me by listening to me. Bear with me and let me speak." Job wanted his friends to just shut up and listen to his despair. Sometimes we need someone to listen to our pain. When I dealt with cancer all I wanted was someone to listen to me when I wanted to rant and rave. Our friends want the same thing. They want us to listen to them when they need an ear.
One of the greatest ways we can show the love of God is to console our friends and family by simply listening to them. Who wants someone to constantly tell them when they are doing something wrong or trying to give them advice all the time? Wouldn't you want your friends to just listen to what you need to say so shouldn't we do the same for our loved ones? Job was in such despair and his friends weren't very consoling, instead I think they just made matters worse, and made Job feel even more depressed. They never once tried to lift him up or just listen to what he had to say. God needs us to be a source of comfort for the people in our lives, and part of that is to just shut up and listen.
When I think about people wanting their friends to listen and just console them by listening to them, I think of Job. He wanted his friends to listen to him, and all they did was tell him he must have sinned greatly against God and made him angry. Finally in Chapter 21 verse 2 Job tells his friends "You can console me by listening to me. Bear with me and let me speak." Job wanted his friends to just shut up and listen to his despair. Sometimes we need someone to listen to our pain. When I dealt with cancer all I wanted was someone to listen to me when I wanted to rant and rave. Our friends want the same thing. They want us to listen to them when they need an ear.
One of the greatest ways we can show the love of God is to console our friends and family by simply listening to them. Who wants someone to constantly tell them when they are doing something wrong or trying to give them advice all the time? Wouldn't you want your friends to just listen to what you need to say so shouldn't we do the same for our loved ones? Job was in such despair and his friends weren't very consoling, instead I think they just made matters worse, and made Job feel even more depressed. They never once tried to lift him up or just listen to what he had to say. God needs us to be a source of comfort for the people in our lives, and part of that is to just shut up and listen.
May 27, 2008
Stop And Smell The Roses
Through our daily lives we get too busy to take time out of the day to really slow down and pay attention to the little things around us. We miss out on some many wonderful things throughout life because we are too concerned with things. Thoreau told us in WALDEN that life in nature is about simplifing things: "Simplify simplify, simplify" are his words. We spend too much time on the internet, watching television, on the phone. We don't look around and enjoy the things that God created just for our enjoyment.
Yesterday afternoon Todd and I had the chance to just sit and watch God's work
well..at work. Four baby birds were hopping around his yard learning how to fly. It was amazing. Momma, and daddy bird were flying down to show them how to do it. It was beautiful. Soon only 1 was able to make it back into their tree. The other 3 couldn't get it right. But watching them chirp, flap their wings and climb, made me think. Things like this happen every day, but how often do we notice it? And if we do, do we really take the time and watch and appreciate it? We sat there for over an hour just watching the birds.
The birds hopping around were like new and old Christians. We just hop around learning all the time. God "flies" down to teach us things and show us the way. Sometimes we are too busy with our daily lives that we don't take the time to listen and see how to progress. God's wonder is all around us, teaching us things, but we never stop and smell the roses. We need to take the time and watch baby birds learning to fly, smell the roses, watch the sun set, and learn and listen to the things God is telling us. We need to appreciate and enjoy the things God has created like the birds, nature, and so much more.
Yesterday afternoon Todd and I had the chance to just sit and watch God's work
well..at work. Four baby birds were hopping around his yard learning how to fly. It was amazing. Momma, and daddy bird were flying down to show them how to do it. It was beautiful. Soon only 1 was able to make it back into their tree. The other 3 couldn't get it right. But watching them chirp, flap their wings and climb, made me think. Things like this happen every day, but how often do we notice it? And if we do, do we really take the time and watch and appreciate it? We sat there for over an hour just watching the birds.The birds hopping around were like new and old Christians. We just hop around learning all the time. God "flies" down to teach us things and show us the way. Sometimes we are too busy with our daily lives that we don't take the time to listen and see how to progress. God's wonder is all around us, teaching us things, but we never stop and smell the roses. We need to take the time and watch baby birds learning to fly, smell the roses, watch the sun set, and learn and listen to the things God is telling us. We need to appreciate and enjoy the things God has created like the birds, nature, and so much more.
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