For the Beauty of the Earth

For The Beauty of The Earth
by Folliott S. Pierpoint, 1864

For the beauty of the earth,
For the glory of the skies;
For the love which from our birth,
Over and around us lies;
Lord of all, to Thee we raise
This, our hymn of grateful praise.

***

For the Beauty of the Earth is a hymn which resonates throughout my life, since childhood in fact.  I always thought of this, the first verse, as the most beautiful.  

But I also reasoned that this was a large and grand hymn offering to God something in return for all He had given us.  A child-like observation, yes, but one that I think continues to be true, at least for me.

Another caregiver trip to Washington state brought us along Interstate 84E on Saturday afternoon.  I am continually amazed when we drive through the Columbia River Gorge at the immensity of God's world and the artistry with which He created and brought our world into being.

The height of the walls and the layers of earth upon rock
upon silt and so on, on each side of the Gorge

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 View of the Gorge from Crown Point during
a luscious spring show -- the blue sky and greens below

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 To see the first sign of nearing home,
Mt. Hood, still cloaked in white

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 And to even realize blue skies are turning to gray skies
and rain as we near Portland -- the usual

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And continuing to give God my gratitude for the goodness of His gifts to me and mine:

496.  The beauty of the world around me as told in the verses to this hymn.

497.  The opportunity to live in an area so full of God's artistry.

498.  Gifts of watching friends help our brother who see him just as he always been despite the ravages of his disease.

499.  A committed sister-in-law who is taking extraordinary care of our brother.

500.  An unexpected visit with family from Boston over the weekend.

501.  Concerned children who think their parents are doing too much.

502.  The departure of a bug or virus that hit 24-36 hours ago and appears to be long gone.

Linking up with the community at A Holy Experience 

and with Laura at 

and with L.L. Barkat at

Five Minute Friday: See

On Friday mornings, The Gypsy Mama (Lisa Jo) spreads a feast before us consisting of a challenge:

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking
2. Link back here and invite others to join in.
3. Please visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments.

Today's word is SEE.
 



GO!

I love the hymn, "Open My Eyes," and especially the line where the words "that I may see" come into play.

Do I see?  What God wants me to see?  How wide open do my eyes need to be to see what's all around me?

I walk out my front door and I see towering fir trees, some 30 years in the making.  I see luscious ferns, rhododendrons, azaleas, trillium, the growth one would find in a forest.  Beauty is what I see.

I look up and I see blue skies (most days!) and clouds, but I also see birds flying here and there, chirping to one another, caring for one another.

But when I walk on the corner of my small community, do I see the need around me?  Do I see the homeless?  Do I see the hungry?  Do I see the child clinging to a parent who has no means to feed that child?  The jobless? 

If I don't see all of this -- the beauty and the goodness as well as the need of others around me -- do I really have my eyes open and seeing all He wants me to see?

STOP!
 

Can You Hear Me Now?

Several years ago Verizon Wireless ran an ad campaign with this image spread across our TVs, newspapers, magazines, the Internet.  Who didn't know who owned the tag line, "Can you hear me now?"

Verizon had adopted the slogan "We never stop working for you," with commercials showing a Verizon employee walking about in strange places continuously asking, "Can you hear me now? Good."  This was a representation of Verizon's test technicians.  Later, when networks expanded, Verizon continued to use the image but not the words, "Can you hear me now?"

Yesterday I was reflecting on how fragmented our lives can become if something goes wrong with one of our many technology systems.  We can instantly be disconnected from family, friends or business associates.

If we can't do it right now and send it right now and have it there in a matter of minutes, we feel disconnected.

If the computer crashes, we feel disconnected.

If the cell phone battery isn't recharged and goes down, we feel disconnected.

If the voice on the GPS isn't working just right and we can't get directions, we feel disconnected.

What if no one listens to what we have to say?  We feel ignored, and disconnected.

Let's stop a moment . . . and think about the Great Connection we have that is never disconnected, unless we disconnect it ourselves.

How does God feel when we don't respond to His whispers, His nudges?

And it's easy to do in this busy world of run here, go there, pick up this, pick up children, make dinner, do the laundry.

It's easy to forget that God is waiting, listening, hoping to hear from us, for some recognition that we know He's still there and waiting.

God is a connection that's always available.  Have you stopped to listen today for what He might want you to hear?  Do you think He ever asks, "Can you hear me now?"

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Linking up with Jennifer today at:
 

And visiting Joan at Grace Cafe
 

 

Cousins Came to Celebrate!

The doors to our church opened Sunday morning to welcome six beautiful children.  Six cousins -- five girls and one boy.  Ranging in age from about 3-11 years.

Dressed in their finest.  Excited, engaging, exuberant!

The cousins came to celebrate the christening and baptism of their brand new cousin, a baby boy.

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They took seats on the front row, not wanting to miss a thing.

As I watched them, I became fascinated by their well behaved demeanor.  Their excitement was on the surface, but well contained.

Following the christening and baptism and the children's sermon, they returned to their front row seats.  They had received activity packets -- our effort to help parents keep busy children busy.

The two older girls immediately became leaders and helped the younger ones to the floor in front of their seats. 

Each one became a beehive of activity engaged in creating something wonderful on this highly important family day.

What I observed reminded me of the Scripture found in Matthew 18:3 (NIV):

And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change
and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

I saw before me young children unaffected by others around them, by their surroundings, by each other.  They were simply being themselves.  

Why is it that I, as an adult, cannot assume that same mantle?  Why do I worry about what I'm wearing?  Who will see me?  What they will think?  Why do I really walk in the door of my home church?

I go there because I believe in the One God, Father of my Savior, Jesus Christ -- I go to worship, to praise and to offer thanksgiving.  I need not wear an exterior to please man or to exalt my own feelings.  I must come as I am, as a child.  That is the me that the One Above really wants -- the me that I am.

* * *

Lifting my hands to give Him thanks for so much this week:

486.  The joys of childhood.
487.  New babies in God's Kingdom.
488.  Restful time at home.
489.  Insights into my writing from an encouraging blogger's post.
490.  My friends who have supported me virtually and real time.
491.  Healing for our friend who recently underwent colon cancer surgery.
492.  Joy of preparing meals for a church family.
493.  Experiencing the love of young families in our church.
492.  Lives given in service for our country and freedoms.
493.  Active military personnel in Afghanistan and other posts in our world.
494.  Freedom to worship.
495.  Freedom to share here my faith and beliefs with other believers.

Linking up with the community at A Holy Experience 

and with Laura at 

Memorial Day 2012

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Arlington Cemetery,

where hundreds of thousands of dead lie beneath the ground.

Sacrifices beyond our comprehension . . . 

life, loved ones, families,

dreams and hopes,

and opportunities not yet realized.

Sacrifices by those left behind . . .

partners split apart,

children left fatherless or motherless,

fathers and mothers losing a child too soon.

And for what?

So that you and I might enjoy our freedoms . . . 

life, liberty, pursuit of happiness and

religion, the right to vote, speech,

the right to live in peace and harmony,

life itself.

And what do we do about it all?

We must pause and say "thank you"

for the sacrifices, the service, the commitment

and patriotism represented in service.

Take time this day and every day to salute with gratitude

a veteran, an active duty member

of our Armed Forces, or a member of the National Guard

for protecting you and your family.

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