Sunday Afternoon Tea - Drawing peace from nature

Our high temperature yesterday was to be around 90 once again but it dipped into in the 60s for awhile when we had much hoped for rain showers.  I took advantage of the cooler weather to open windows and to brew a cup of spicy Christmas tea to keep warm.  Cool temperatures are rare this time of year and one must take advantage of them, even if they are just for a few brief hours.  

I am thankful for any rain we can get.  After such a soggy spring, the high heat and recent lack of rain has put us into a "flash drought" situation.  The farmers are probably doing a happy dance even if we had too much rain a couple months ago.

I had to go into town yesterday and on the way home, I noticed how beautiful the forest is right now and the soybean field close to my house is looking as happy as the corn crops.  The fields of corn I saw last week may be "knee high by the 4th of July", even though the rain made for a late start in planting.  It loves 90 degree weather.

The orange ditch lilies have been lining the ditches along the sides of the roads for a couple weeks.  It shouldn't be too long before they start to fade.  Every June, I am once again impressed that these flowers grow around the same week every year.  Always around Father's Day.

I can still recall the first time I saw day lilies for sale at the nursery.  Who would buy them when they grow wild?  There are other colors than orange?  Who knew?  The things we learn as the years go by.  :)

I don't know how one can not believe in a Creator when they look at nature and how... even in this age of weather changes... we can depend on flowers and even birds to appear again at certain times of the year. 

We may know the scientific reason that the leaves turn color in Autumn but does that take away from the awe that October brings?  If anything, for those of us who are believers in not only a Creator but one who came to the very planet He created to live and die and be raised again to buy back the Father's legal rights to us from the one that stole them in Eden... October can bring about spontaneous worship and praise.

Even with having a few trees near our house cut down for safety reasons, there are plenty left to enjoy living in an area cut out of the forest.  We may be in a flash drought now but the spring rains brought a lushness to the forest that is only seen when there is plenty of moisture for them to draw from their roots to their tippy top leaves.  The word abundance comes to mind...

It was the admiration of corn fields, soybean fields (this is the Midwest), and day (ditch) lilies that first brought my nature ponderings recently.  However, it was the timing that I appreciated the most.  I had been hearing mostly bad news on the horizon for this country and much of the world.

I do believe we are in the birth pangs now and that they have been increasing in timing and in intensity the past few years.  I know that means Jesus will be coming back.  I mean, really coming back.  As in... setting foot again on this fallen planet back.

We read about it, talk about it, sing about it, pray for it... but do we really believe it?  Can the reality of His return honestly be predicted in the prophecies of the Bible... both the Old and New Testament?  Is it really time?  Are we the generation(s) that will see it?

Scoffers have been well... scoffing.  For a very long time.  Where is the promise of His coming that was predicted?  See, you believed in something that will not happen.  How foolish you Christians are believing that your god was alive and then dead and now resides again in Heaven and worse than that... how foolish to believe any god would do that and then return?  Foolishness indeed!

"For the message of the cross is foolishness [absurd and illogical] to those who are perishing and spiritually dead [because they reject it], but to us who are being saved [by God’s grace] it is [the manifestation of] the power of God."  1 Cor. 1:18 Amplified Version

What I believe the Holy Spirit reminded me in that "still small voice" when I was driving home that day was this... look how you can depend on nature throughout the seasons.  He designed this world in such a way that nature points the way to Him.  Nature reminds us of His Design and that it once was perfect but now it is flawed but it is still good... and dependable.

I don't have to fear this world and the evil that resides within.  I need to calm down and curb my frustrations at those in power who act out their foolishness in ways that are affecting our everyday life.  

God allows countries to get the leadership they deserve and many countries, including this one, have chosen to turn their back on God.  However, that does not mean that God has turned his back on each of us.   The same Heavenly Father that knows when a sparrow falls is very well aware of each of us and cares what is happening to us.

We don't worry if it will be hot on the 4th of July (in the Northern Hemisphere), we don't worry if the leaves will change in October, we don't get concerned that it won't be cold at Christmas (albeit snow is iffy).  We know God still holds the world in His hands and we can rest assured that He knows each of us by name.

Don't worry about what is to come.  Look to Him, read His word, listen to really good music, read good books, and surround yourself with what you find beautiful.  Jesus is coming again. Whether this year or this decade or further down the road. Jesus is coming again and the earth is telling us it won't be long until all will be made perfect.