Taking Time to Enjoy God’s Creation

Yesterday morning I was viewing the sunrise while heading home with a couple of gallons of water from the "village well" (a.k.a. Girard Spring Water in Marieville).

As I was looking at the beauty of the sunrise and its effect on the various clouds in the eastern sky, I reflected on the many natural wonders of God's creation. Obviously I've only seen a very small number of them over the years, but I was grateful for the ones I have seen. I also remembered the old adage, "Stop and smell the roses."

Most people have a number of responsibilities and concerns, some of which are very weighty. In most cases, though, there are opportunities, if we allow ourselves to be open to them, to enjoy some aspect of God's creation.

I've been very blessed in that the travel to my current job requires me to take two buses - one into downtown Providence and then another one into East Providence. Most days on my way to work, I get off the first bus before reaching downtown and walk over to Providence River Park, along South Water Street, where I will catch the bus into East Providence.

Usually I have a few minutes wait, and I can enjoy the views along the Providence River. Sometimes the tide is coming in, and sometimes it is going out. Sometimes I am just enjoying the quiet scene (maybe with a bit of busyness on the part of a variety of birds – sparrows, rock doves [a.k.a. pigeons], ducks, geese, gulls, cormorants, and others), but I've also had a number of interesting observations.

One time I was watching as a parent duck was teaching a duckling how to fly. The adult bird would take off, low to the water and set down a bit further on. The duckling would then beat its wings furiously trying to get into the air, but it would just make progress along the water. I suspect the duckling finally made it into the air at another time.

I've also had opportunities (around low tide) to observe a lot of crab activity in the river. On one occasion, I even saw a couple of them climbing up vertical concrete steps – it was just like watching a spider climb a wall (of course, the crabs were under water).

I'm also blessed in that, just before reaching my workplace, there is a brook flowing into a small wooded area. When I'm a little early getting to work, I make it a point to go to this area and enjoy God's creation while spending some quiet time with Him.

As many people know, I enjoy walking. There are times when I really need to make good time, and I move quickly with a purpose. Most times, though, even if I'm on an errand, I try to be open to the Lord's creation around me and may stop and enjoy a little scene.

Opportunities of various types are being presented to each of us each day. Thank you, Lord, for these opportunities, whether we are aware of them of not, whether we pay attention to them or not. May each of us be more open to them, may we be more appreciative of them, and, through them, may we be more aware of the awesomeness of Your creation.