My day began early, just as the sun was giving a slight hint of its impending coming. I sat in the quietness of the living room looking outside the window at the shadows the trees and rose bushes made against the still mostly dark sky. Peaceful moments, alone with God, allowing Him to touch my heart and my mind. The God of the whole universe likes to spend time with me. Amazing, isn’t it?
I wanted to hear more from Him, so I headed upstairs to my office space in the loft to read my Bible. The sun was obviously rushing to this part of the world and it was starting to get brighter outside. I sat down at my desk, opened the precious book, and continued to read Genesis. I’ve been reading from Genesis for a few weeks now. Jacob blessing his family before he died. God at the center of every blessing. God is truly at the center of every blessing. Anything good I have or that happens to me, is a gift from Him who loves to shower me with beautiful things.
Looking at the brighter day on the other side of the window in front of me, I couldn’t resist but put on my tennis shoes and go outside to explore the morning. The early hours of the day have a strong pull on me, and the summer days make the cool mornings simply irresistible.
I walk outside and smile when I feel the coolness of the air on my skin, and the sounds and sights of the world right before the sun shows up. I head to the paved path behind the houses. On the other side of the path, in the distance, the mountains sit in silence still hiding the sun. A neighbor was watering her garden. I had to stop and compliment her on the beautiful yard she has, with the green grass, abundance of flowers, and feeders for all kinds of birds that are frequent visitors to her green haven. She smiles and thanks me.
I am surrounded by green on both sides of the path, with trees, some yielding ripening fruit, and by
flowering bushes. The scent of the plants is invigorating and sometimes I have to release my energy with a light jog. I smile and wonder if I’m the only jogger who smiles while running. The others don’t seem to. I can’t help it though. It’s a natural reaction of the feelings building up inside.Did you know that trees release a chemical called phytoncide that boosts our immune system by increasing the activity and number of natural killer cells? It also reduces stress, and promotes mental health. That’s why spending time in nature is so important to our overall health, and we should find opportunities every week to submerse ourselves in the natural world. You may learn more by doing a search on forest bathing. I love these words by the way. A bath of forest. Delightful!
It was when I approached the top of the hill during my early walk that I noticed hot air balloons taking off from an open space nearby. Soon the sky was filled with colorful balloons. In fact, the neighborhood was taken over by a flock of balloons passing by everywhere! As the sun sent its first rays across the land, the colors of the balloons became brighter. What a feast of colors right above me. As I passed fellow early rising neighbors, we joyfully commented on the personal Balloon Fiesta we were having this morning. Of course, I had to smile some more. How can one not smile when surrounded by colorful hot air balloons, the beautiful morning sunshine, birds singing, and all the phyntoncides being released by the trees? It’s unavoidable!
I kept walking while taking in the sights, sounds, and scents around. Soon I came to an open space where I could no longer hide from the sun, so I decided to embrace it. Its hug was so warm and bright. A baby bunny crossed the path running away from me. One day the bunnies will no longer have that fear of people and will let us pet their adorable little bodies to our heart’s content. But for now I can only admire it from a distance, hopping away from me showing off its cute cotton ball tail.
My thoughts turn to God. This was a difficult week with difficult projects, criticism, unkind words, and unloving expectations. This beautiful world, my treasured morning moments, tainted by the difficulties that sin creates. I asked God if it’s possible to experience pure and unrestricted joy while living in this blue planet of ours stained by evil? He didn’t answer, but reminded me to give it all to Him. So I did just that. My hurt, sadness, insecurities, my broken dreams, all placed at His feet for Him to take care of for me.
As I head home I am again in awe of my surroundings. In spite of all the bad, God still places so
much good around us. Wonderful love that didn’t leave us alone in the mess we created. Amazing grace that reaches through the great divide and saves us from ourselves. So I’m at peace. My God is taking care of me. I reach my house and I’m grateful for the place He has given me to live and the people inside, my family, whom I love so much.
My dog greets me at the door. She wants to go outside and bark at the balloons, so I let her. How awesome that she barks and they slowly obey her barking and disappear out of her sight. I decide to water the garden. I can’t wait for harvest time. The baby hummingbirds sit still in their tiny nest. And a brand new day, which God made especially for me by the way, has began. And I smile…again.
