Sleeping in. Homemade breakfasts. Daily devotions. Family game time.
The weather during Christmas break is usually cold, overcast and snowy, but a few days ago, God blessed us with a day which was sunny and unseasonably warm. From my perch on the couch, I pondered a bit of exercise. A walk seemed a perfect way to enjoy the weather without exerting too much energy. My son, Barry, was home early from work and after very little arm-twisting, he agreed to be my walking partner. We decided Kouw Park, our local township park on the shores of Lake Michigan, should be our destination and turnaround point. giving us a four mile round trip walk.
Living in a rural area, our relatively quiet, county road was our walking surface. During other times of the year, this trip is made while driving, and we barely notice the surface of the roadway, except to see the haphazard squiggly black marks of the county's crack-seal treatment. But since our walking pace was slow and relaxed, we were able to enjoy a great deal more of both the scenery and the roadway.
It was on our return trip that Barry noticed a set of initials in the rubber seal coat. D.G. Ha. We laughed about the fact that those are the initials that represent our last name. De Graaf.
And a few feet further, another set of initials:
And then, best of all, we spotted a fish. And I'm gonna call it a Jesus fish.
In all the months I've driven down this road, I've never noticed these "signs" in the pavement. It wasn't until I slowed down the pace of life and walked that I was able to see these markings which are plainly visible.
The same is true of my Christian walk. Most days, my world is speeding along, my to-do list so long I don't notice the markings God has placed in my path. The people I encounter, the creation around me and the Holy Spirit inside me go unnoticed because of my hurried existence. And then the gift of an extended break helped me reflect on God's blessing and presence. He hasn't changed in this time, but he's given me the gift of quiet and I've noticed him.
Thanks God. Help me to see you with my God eyes. Help me to look for you every day.
God’s wisdom is so deep, God’s power so immense,
who could take him on and come out in one piece?
He moves mountains before they know what’s happened,
flips them on their heads on a whim.
He gives the earth a good shaking up,
rocks it down to its very foundations.
He tells the sun, ‘Don’t shine,’ and it doesn’t;
he pulls the blinds on the stars.
All by himself he stretches out the heavens
and strides on the waves of the sea.
He designed the Big Dipper and Orion,
the Pleiades and Alpha Centauri.
We’ll never comprehend all the great things he does;
his miracle-surprises can’t be counted.
Somehow, though he moves right in front of me, I don’t see him;
quietly but surely he’s active, and;: I miss it.
Job 9:4-11 (The Message)
