Living on the Pacific Northwest, we get a lot of rain (it is a temperate rainforest), especially in late fall. But if you put on your rain gear and get away from the city, it is always so beautiful and peaceful in the woods.
-
-
Walking through our neighbourhood in the fall is such a joy; the colors of the leaves are so vibrant, especially in the late afternoon light.
All the leaves below were collected from one tree (and one below the tree).
-
Sitting in our garden on a sunny summer day, I am reminded of what an amazing space it is, nature in the city. The breeze causes dappled sunshine to break through the leafy canopy above me, busy bees flit from flower to flower, and wasps scratch at the cedar posts. I also hear the hum of the nearby road, and the sound of neighbours – music, talking, and washing dishes.
Getting away from busyness to spend quiet time with Jesus is vital for our faith. Yet we don’t do that apart from the people we’re called to be in the world, sharing Jesus’ love tangibly with those around us.
Being in the garden gives a blend of both, a quiet place to read, listen, and pray, but also to remember where I am, in the midst of a city with millions of souls created in God’s image. My call is to be a light here, not to everyone, but to everyone God leads me to. The garden reminds me to find that balance between stillness & quiet, and work in the real world.
-
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
Psalm 98:7 ESV
the world and those who dwell in it!As I travel through a somewhat turbulent North Pacific ocean, with nothing but water as far as the eye can see, the verses in the Psalms that speak of the seas are seen in a new light.
I am in awe of their size and power, and my own insignificance and lack of control in comparison. And yet, these verses are a comfort, as they tell us that these seas are created by our God, that they (and all in them) worship him, and that his love for us is as vast as the ocean!