>Simple Creation

>Thanks to Alaiyo for starting this line of thinking.

This week, for the first time in many weeks, I took time to enjoy Creation in simple ways. There’s something almost mystical about the life and beauty of the natural world. Something as simple (thank you, Alaiyo) as mowing the yard showcases the versatility of not only Creation, but also its Creator.

The earth of course is full of sheer beauty, but our landscapes are multi-faceted, multi-faced. And nothing proves that like trying to force a lawn mower up a grassy hill, vulnerably positioned behind and below it. The hill’s steep pitch and the pebbly soil’s lack of dependebility force you to rely on your calf muscles and lean on your toes, pushing your own wieght against gravity — and the weight of the mower. It’s a battle, but a simple battle, that reminds you of the fierceness of the land (and that’s not even that daunting of a hill, relatively).

But even with the fierceness of the land displayed often, more times than not I come back to the joy and peace Creation enstills in me. And again, as they often are, those things are realized in the simple acts of an evening at home. Perched in a comfortable patio chair at the top of the same hill (with freshly groomed grass, I might add), tonight I simply looked and listened. In front of me, to the west, was the remnant light of the sun, the leftover color fading into opaque twilight. The ridge supoorted the sky’s blend as an easel supports the canvas. Meanwhile, the valley between the easel and me grew darker, its greenery fading to black. Ensconced as I was by the pine and maple trees, I heard the gentle roar of the secadas, rhythmic in their calls of peace and rest as the night fell.

Often times we find beuaty in life’s complexities, but this week I was reminded to look to the simple, almost routine things — something as laborious as yardwork, or as easy as sitting. And how beautiful is He who wrought all this.

I’m looking forward to the weekend.