Purposeful Design

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse. – (Romans 1:20, NIV)

There are things about God that people cannot see – His eternal power and all that makes Him God. But since the beginning of the world, those things have been easy for people to understand. They are made clear in what God has made. So people have no excuse for the evil that they do. – (Romans 1:20, ERV)

Opposition to truth cannot be excused on the basis of ignorance, because from the creation of the world, the invisible qualities of God’s nature have been made visible such as His eternal power and transcendence. He has made His wonderful attributes easily perceived, for seeing the visible makes us understand the invisible. So then, this leaves everyone without excuse. – (Romans 1:20, TPT)

 

Perhaps this is the reason that I crave being outdoors so much. Each time I am afforded time to enjoy just being out in nature, I find myself acutely aware of God and the beauty of all that He has made. Yesterday, was a day spent almost entirely outdoors. I began my morning as I usually do, with my devotions and writing, but then went and met my running bestie for a run to kick-off the day. The opportunity to share life with one another as we run, and fill our lungs with the hint of coolness that is still found in the morning air, while running through tree-filled neighborhoods and roads. Green is beginning to give way to hints of yellow on the deciduous trees, a reminder that seasons change, but the like the tree, God remains steadfast. Shortly after returning from my run, I went and picked up my best friend to go hiking. Incredibly, we arrived within thirty-five minutes or so, and soon began our ascent up the trail. Neither of us had hiked this particular trail prior, so everything was new. The surroundings were lush and green, and the trail, nearly three miles of steep switchbacks, reminding us to be grateful for strong, healthy bodies. Upon our arrival at the top, the view made the work well worthwhile. We could see for miles. Hills and lakes, the Puget Sound, mountains and valleys – so much of God’s creation, right there, beautifully displayed before us, waiting to be enjoyed. The few photos that I took do not do the view justice, but perhaps at least give a glimpse of how gorgeous God’s creation is, when we find opportunities to get out and enjoy it. After the hike and time at each of our homes, my love and I joined she and her husband on their deck to sit outside and enjoy a fire and dinner. Summer nights are a sweet reminder of God’s goodness to us. All that to say that every single time I get outside, I cannot help but see the fingerprints of God all over the beauty that my eyes behold. May we each be acutely aware of our Almighty God, as we navigate our days through the beauty He has placed around us, to make His heart for us known.

When I checked in with mom yesterday afternoon, it sounded as if she had been having a good day, thus far. She had done her exercises and some walking laps around the house, and was quick to answer the phone when I called. It has only been a little over a week since mom arrived at Meg’s house, so they are still working to establish routine and work out all of the appointments and therapies. Mom will have her appointment with her new primary care doctor tomorrow morning, so we are praying that in-home therapies begin rapidly after that appointment. Ideally, a case manager would get to the house by Friday to determine mom’s need and establish a schedule for the various therapies.

 

The truth of the Lord,

Is easy to see;

For all around us,

Hand-crafted beauty.

Majestic mountains,

Vast, powerful seas;

Lush, lovely forests,

And river retreats.

Intricate flowers,

And huge, mighty oaks;

Creatures great and small,

And all sort of folks.

Each one created,

Purposeful design;

When we choose to look,

We see truth aligns.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have made invisible and difficult to grasp attributes tangible through what You have made. Thank You that we need only look around us to see evidence of who You are and how You love. Thank You that Your power and majesty are made clear through that which You have created. Forgive us for neglecting to open our eyes to truly see the work of Your hands. Teach us to recognize and appreciate the evidence that is all around us, testifying on Your behalf. Show us how to love those around us in a way that further provides evidence of Your goodness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we appreciate the beauty that You have made, and the ways that Your fingerprints are all around us through all that is created. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it. – psalm 96:11

 

 

Found by the Sound

For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost. – (Luke 19:10, NIV)

The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them. – (Luke 19:10, ERV)

For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost. – (Luke 19:10, MSG)

 

Years ago, I was hiking in the early spring. We came upon an area that was covered in snow, and kept walking. Soon, we lost the trail, and were uncertain of which direction we were meant to go. In life, it is just as easy to slip away from the right path, once we start stepping beyond the security of the one that has been prepared for us. Thankfully, we stopped wandering and paused to listen. Water flows down, and we heard a stream nearby. We followed the sound, and soon discovered the path we had lost sight of in the snow. Jesus is the same way. If we listen for His voice, He will lead us in the way that we are meant to go. He pulls us out of our darkness and restores us into a right relationship with Him. His life, death, resurrection and ascension all took place so that we could be rescued from our wandering in the wilderness. Jesus will lead us back to the path He intends for us to walk, if we slow down and seek His voice. May we ever be intentional to listen, so that we know the path prepared for us; for this is the way to live eternally with Him.

 

We all are in need,

God’s grace leads us on;

His love that forgives,

Empowers, makes strong.

Strong for the journey,

To follow the way;

The path He provides,

For all of our days.

He came to save us,

All who were once lost;

To set our feet right,

His love paid the cost.

Listen to His voice,

He’ll make the way clear;

Ever He will lead,

As we seek, draw near.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You came to seek and save us. Thank You that You bring us out of our wandering in the wilderness, and set our feet secure on the path that You have prepared for us. Forgive us for wandering. Teach us to trust You more, as You already know where every road leads, and have prepared the way for us with purpose. Show us how to love and support those around us as they discover the route that You have prepared for them to best navigate their own journey. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we faithfully follow every step You call us to take, for You path provides an eternal promise. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

May your unfailing love be with us, Lord, even as we put our hope in You. – Psalm 33:22

Lessons Learned on the Ledge

After days of discussing, it was determined that my sister and her family would meet up with me and my boys (Super Spouse had to work), at the Johnston Observatory among the foothills of Mt. St. Helen’s.  Each of us would wake early and drive a similar distance to arrive at our appointed destination by mid-morning. 

Adventurous, Cautious and I happily drove along, stopping only for food, fuel and a birthday present for my eldest nephew.  With periodic check-ins with one another, it was clear that we were all on pace to arrive at nearly the same time.  Mere moments after our arrival and a quick stretch to determine the number of layers needed to begin the day’s hike, my sister and her family rolled in too.

Enthusiastic greetings were exchanged with hugs, and each of us began to situate ourselves with our packs and proper shoe wear.  The first disappointing discovery came when my sister asked her eldest to get his shoes on.  Her dear boy timidly told her that he could not find his shoes…  Frustration followed, as his only shoe option appeared to be flip flops.  Fortunately, my van is like a home on wheels, as a little bit of everything seems to accumulate inside.  I said that I would check to see if we happened to have a spare pair of shoes in our car.  Not so surprisingly, Adventurous had neglected to bring in his tennis shoes after camp two weeks ago, so we had a pair available.  Never mind that E wears a youth size four and my guys wear a 9.5 in men’s…  With some serious cinching and tightening of laces, Big E was a brilliant sport and ready to make it work.

Our first leg of the journey was to actually wander up to the Observatory to pay our park fee and partake in the first glimpse of our incredible view.  Park fees paid and potty stops done, we were ready to begin.  Single file at times and often clumping in twos, we were on our way.  All along our varied terrain, there was much to take in.  All four boys were most captivated with chipmunks and conversation, while we adults were readily snapping shots of our spectacular view.

After a while of wandering on the trail, we took a timeout to have lunch.  Steep cliffs, jagged peaks, and crystal clear lakes were laid out before us as we took in our terrific surroundings.  Smiles surrounded as all enjoyed our company and ambiance.

Cautious had a minor complaint as a callous was forming on his foot, but being an ever prepared boy, he found a large band-aid to prevent further friction.

On we went, making our way ever further from the Observatory and closing in on a closer view of the crystal clear, Spirit Lake.  About ten minutes down the trail, Adventurous was overwhelmed with abdominal cramping, and began to panic about his desperate need to defecate.  “Can you hold it?”, I asked.  Every fiber of his being, screamed NO!  Not a bathroom within miles and open spaces all around.  What to do?  We found a small shrub near an open space, where I rapidly dug a hole with bare hands.  I advised Adventurous to squat carefully as he readily released the beast.  The burial of said stuff was a bit brutal, but all parties survived the ordeal and were ready to walk on.

Soon, we arrived to a ledge, a sheer shelf really, to traverse single-file.  Adventurous was not quite feeling up to his name, as his stomach was still churning and the heights were messing with his mind.  He agreed to hold his hiking poles, that I too would hold, and followed closely behind me.  Every step we were ever aware of the sheer face that we could fall down if we misstepped.  Hugging our left, we slowly stepped forward, ever closing in on the end of the harrowing Harry’s Ledge.

At the end of said ledge, my boys gladly sat down to rest and recover, and take in the terrific view that was spread out before us.  Smiles were on every face, as each recognized the accomplishment that had just transpired.

Pictures taken, water sipped, and strength renewed, we prepared to double back and head toward our home base.

The return trip went more quickly, as the frightening was not quite as fear-inducing, with the faint familiarity with said space, and the reminder that it had already been successfully traversed.

Some of my takeaways from the day:

1.  Always be prepared.  (Again with the shoes…)

2.  When in trouble, ask for help.  (God does not want us to go it alone, and He cares about our health and well being.)

3.  On treacherous trails, do not look and the drop, rather look only for the next step.  (Quite symbolic for our walk with Him!)

4.  After surviving the scary spaces, take time to see how far He has brought you, and breathe in the blessings of the journey.

5.  Though the trail is often frightening, it becomes a bit less so, when we recognize that we have been brought successfully through similar spaces before.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your beautiful creation and for opportunities to enjoy it.  Thank You that You never stop speaking to us as we go.  Teach us to continue to learn to trust You more, and to hold tightly to Your loving and leading hand.  May we move through mountains and valleys with confidence, not in ourselves, but in You who will be ever present on our journey.  Lead us to love like You as we follow trails You call us to traverse.  Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present