Newsboys - In Wonder

Hope you enjoy this video of the Newsboys song "In Wonder." Seemed so appropriate to share it here on my blog. Loved the lyrics coupled with the photos.

The Eye of God

"For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His." (2 Chronicles 16:9)


Well, it's been quite a long time since I've posted to my blog. I'm ashamed to say, I've neglected it as so many others neglect their blogs as well. I've had lots of insights over the past few months that deserved to be given breath upon this page, but I neglected them.

Maybe it's now time to play catch up.

Today, however, my imagination was captured by talk of the lunar eclipse and the blood red image said to be seen tonight. I walked to the barn around 9:45 p.m. to feed our horses. It was a cool night, but not unbearably cold. A full moon lit my path, yet a luminescence permeated the moon in an eerie glow. As I returned from the barn and stood outside watching the great ball of light in the sky, I stood spellbound by the patterns of patchy clouds that continued to flow across its face. It was almost magical the way the light continued to pierce through the clouds, pushing them aside. They circled around it as if in a mysterious dance.

Could this be the eye of God, unblinking, all-seeing, separating light from dark?

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands." (Psalm 19:1)

God is Everywhere

For this is what the Lord says, the one who created the sky – he is the true God, the one who formed the earth and made it; he established it, he did not create it without order, he formed it to be inhabited – “I am the Lord, I have no peer." (Isaiah 45:18 NET)

Amazing, the clouds that form in the sky and the patterns that are fashioned from the earth and the wind. They are wondrous and of the Creator's making. His Hebrew name is Elohim (plural of El), meaning "strong one." This name used in the Old Testament usually referred to God's sovereignty, His mighty work and His creativity.

As I ponder the works of His hands, I am in awe of His never-ending & unlimited imagination.

He can be discovered in the tiniest of nature's miracles. And, it doesn't hurt to have a seven-year-old with which to explore the planet. Sometimes I think I'm still seven at heart because every time I walk outside I'm so thankful for our flowers, woods, pond, trees, turkeys, snakes, dragonflies, and wind. I could go on and on.

For this entry, I've just decided to share some photos from recent exploration trips around my house and let you the readers experience "the beginning of wonder." It will be my way of sharing a small bit of God's wisdom.

Come, let us worship together . . . All of creation is God's cathedral.

He is everywhere . . . in the tiniest transparency of a dragonfly's wings.

He is everywhere . . . in proud purple stalks of prairie flowers and green grasses.

He is everywhere . . . in the patterns of life.

He is everywhere . . . He is in the cross.

To Flee or Not to Flee--That is the Question

Here he is—that wild-eyed paint we call Copper Cash. He's our 10-year-old Tobiano paint gelding showing off his latest grassy sandwich. . He's quite a beauty and, of all my horses, probably the most comical. At 16 hands, he's a hefty boy with a long black and white mane and tail.

As is my daily habit right now, I like to spend time with all three horses, many times leading them around to graze. It's always interesting watching their individual eating habits. My older mare, Smokey, likes to nibble at small blades of grass scattered in sparsely grown areas.

Mojave, our black and white paint (big brother to Cash) delves into the larger stands of grass along the hillsides—places where he can tear off long clumps of tender greens. And very rarely is he distracted from his grazing—easy going is his middle name.

What is Cash's favorite salad? Unbelievably, he likes crabgrass. And, he especially likes to burrow under bushes and smaller trees to find tender morsels tucked away in the shade. As he roots around under the branches he invariably gets bonked on the head or rump with the offending twigs and then it's "off to the races" as the flight instinct kicks into gear.

It's fun to watch their inquisitive noses skirt the ground seeking out the best greens while their tender lips brush the undesirables out of the way so they can pluck the best grasses from the ground. Sometimes you'll see a darting eye looking for the next patch. It seems they are always preparing themselves, ears flicking back and forth, eyes alert. As flight animals, their instinct is self-preservation so they are always ready at a moment's notice to flee danger.

While I don't believe we humans were meant to flee when life gets hard, this natural instinct does make me think about how I approach situations. Am I prepared when times do get tough or I see danger lurking? And, then, how should I react to it? Sometimes I know I need to stand firm and fight. While at other times, when confronted with something evil, I know instinctively that I must flee.

"Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. But resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethren who are in the world." (I Peter 5:8-9 NASB)

Wanderlust

"Itchy feet" describes my 10-pound long-haired, black and tan dachshund like no other phrase. Some of my friends may remember when the little one had a close encounter with a coyote in the woods near our house in January. She had bite wounds around her shoulders, on her head and it punctured her trachea.

Of my three dachshunds, she's been blessed or maybe "cursed" is a better word with the old country hunting gene. Chasing rabbits, digging into burrows, sniffing out her prey with tenacity and fervor. Unfortunately she met her match in a frosty winter bog behind our pond. After nearly a week in I.C.U., and several weeks of recovery at home, we thought she was on the mend. Then one morning she got up and could barely walk from back pain. More restrictions in the baby play pen for another eight weeks though set her right.

It's now six months from her accident and about two months since her back problems so we all thought we could breathe a sign of relief. Unfortunately, the little bugger now has a new disease—wanderlust.

Here is little D.K. sitting at the back door aching for the woods. And, it's really hard for me to say "no" to her. I mean after all, she is a dog and I've gotta let her "be a dog." Right? I let her out and watch her scurry across the sidewalk, bound for adventures in the deep grasses. And, she never comes back of her own accord – it requires work from me. Yes, you guessed it. I'm out calling and hunting and pleading with her to come inside. Once back in the house, she laps up a bowl of water and then collapses until another bout of wanderlust strikes her. She's up to about three adventures every day. I'm not sure if I can keep up.

D.K.'s forays into the forest remind me of how I sometimes get distracted with "itchy feet" and fail to find God's best path for me. It might be rest I need or a new attitude, but instead I'm off exploring or wasting time. As I wander farther and farther into the brush it gets harder and harder to hear His voice. He calls and calls, but only after His persistence do I finally hear His cries and strike out for the safety of home—His arms.

Fireflies in the Rain

Another after-dark trek to the barn brought wonder once again and a little dampness. While the night air was still muggy with the humidity so inherent in Kansas, I discovered a bit of a chill as I walked up our driveway and into the woods. My flashlight bobbed up and down with the rhythm of my steps and twinkle lights—or were they creature eyes—blinked and flashed Morse code at me. I can't imagine what they could be trying to communicate—their little luminescent underbellies tapping out the not-so-familiar code. Guess I'd better brush up on the signals so I'll have better understanding tomorrow night.

I'm inherently curious about nature so I had to google "fireflies" and read up on their peculiar glowing abilities. The larvae even glow hence the name "glow worms." God brought forth a host of lessons for me as I pondered my latest adventure.

Scientists have discovered that the firefly uses its bioluminescence mainly in courtship rituals. The larvae activate their glow in order to thwart predators since their bodies contain a nasty tasting toxin. It's interesting to think that even in something this small God has a plan to help part of His creation.

And, what about the fact that 100% of a firefly's light is given off as light? Comparing it to the electric light bulb that only gives off 10% of its energy as light, the firefly is the perfection of efficiency—another miracle of God's creation. Interesting isn't it that 90% of man's energy is burned up in heat, while God's tiny firefly illumines its world and doesn't waste any energy. If only I could be so efficient.

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My seven-year-old daughter Brinna won't venture outside at night—ever—without a flashlight. She's pretty smart. I always feel safer walking in the dark with my flashlight, don't you? As I walked through the woods the other night, I had this feeling of being watched. When I shifted the light of my flashlight and watched the blinking "eyes," I knew they were fireflies, but my mind continued to speculate about other creatures—coyotes, raccoons, skunks, bobcats. You never know what lurks on the prairie.

Somehow, though, carrying that flashlight is like carrying God with me. He lights my way. He comforts me when I wonder whether a coyote is near. And, He helps me experience the wonders of the night—like fireflies.

The Journey Begins

Welcome to the newest part of my life—my blog. While I've been resisting the urge for some time to join the blogging fray, I finally succumbed to the pressure. Not peer pressure from writing friends as some might think. No, I guess you could say the pressure came from within. Just as that burning desire to write my first poem came in 7^th grade, so has the urge to blog come forth some . . . years (we won't share how many) later.

As I sit here composing this first entry, I'm dripping wet after a dusk rush to the paddock to rescue my three horses from the rain. Another early summer downpour soaked me through and through and slicked back their coarse manes. Munching on their evening ration of grain, I left them safe and content in the barn while I trotted back to the house dodging lightening bolts.

Thinking I could get this entry done and finish formatting my rudimentary blog tonight, I picked up my laptop, only to remember that my satellite internet connection is useless in thunderstorms. Guess what? Satellite signals can't pinpoint my microscopic satellite dish atop my infinitesimal house through all the electrical storms and rain clouds. Gggrr . . .

So . . . now to explain the purpose of this blog. What you say? You have a purpose to this blogging madness. As a matter of fact, I do. For sometime now I've been fascinated by Socrates' famous saying: Wisdom begins in wonder. It has become my focus to seek wonder in every day events or sightings in nature because I have come to understand that only as we are amazed by life can we truly find the wisdom of God. For He is everything.

Much to my dismay this wonderful saying was already taken as a title in the blogging world, so I have chosen the next best thing—The Beginning of Wonder.

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines "wonder" as:

"1 a : a cause of astonishment or admiration : marvel b : miracle
2 : the quality of exciting amazed admiration
3 a : rapt attention or astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience"

I think that says it all: astonishment at something awesomely mysterious or new to one's experience. Imagine if we all approached each day expecting a miracle, expecting to be amazed by God's awesome power and love. Wow!

Join me as I post photos from my farm and words from my heart. Then let us discover together the wonders of God's creation.