Sunday Morning Quote for August 24, 2014

It is the marriage of the soul with 

Nature that makes the intellect fruitful, 

and gives birth to imagination.

- Henry David Thoreau

The God Who is Everywhere

"While it is true that God is a hidden presence, we have only to let nature speak to us about the God who is everywhere." 

- John Eudes, Abbot of the Genesee, 

as quoted by Henry Nouwen in Discernment

My first thought on reading this was that if this is true, then God is more present in some places than in others. For instance, in areas south - especially Florida and the Caribbean - where the weather is always wonderful, there is always an abundance of green, flowers, animals, birds and insects. What about in areas like here in New England during winter? All is bare or dull. There is wildlife but it can be sparse. What about in Alaska? What about in cities? Especially cities in the north during winter time.

Alaska, though frigid cold and covered in deep snow most of the year,  has a majestic quality that does reflect God. Not having been there in person, photographs and movie footage alone have shown me this. 

God can be found  in the city, but there he is discovered more often through people than in nature. Yet even a dandelion growing in the crack between foundation and sidewalk can point to God.

Winter in New England can teach us about rest and slowing down. A valuable lesson for so many who live by the "New York minute."

God is everywhere and I think that if we love where it is we live, we will find him in everything.

Winter Blues

Caught in the "artic vortex" like a large part of the country, I don't want to be outside longer than I have to. Right now it is 11 degrees Fahrenheit but the sun is brightly shining! Second day in a row now, thank God. It had been snowing, cloudy and raining the past week. I was experiencing the winter blues and cabin fever. Having sunshine back has helped a lot.
 
I came across this posted on Pinterest yesterday. It is so true!!
 
I like to tell myself that winter in New England is a great time to take care of all the indoor chores and projects that get ignored during the warmer months. I just can't get as excited about that as I can about planting seeds in the spring, watering all summer and harvesting in the fall.

I am blessed to have a wonderful view outside the back windows of our house. It is therapy to watch the many birds that come to my feeders, visit the wild berries growing in the woods or that stop in for a visit to the pond.