Nature Tells a Story

During the day, we are still getting up to the 60's and sometimes even the 70's here in Tulsa, even though it dips down into the 30's at night.  The temperatures are a little higher than normal for late October.  As a result, fall has been somewhat late in arriving.  Walking through the neighborhood yesterday, I took some pictures of the changing leaves, which should have already turned brown and fallen to the ground.

One of the things that struck me as I passed by tree after tree, was that some leaves, which were hanging together on a branch, were completely dead, while others right next to them hadn't even begun to lose their color.  How could that be?  I know that the reason leaves change color is because nitrogen and phosphorus are drawn from the leaves through their veins, to be stored in the twigs and branches during winter months.  That stops the production of chlorophyll, so the lush green color fades and the other pigments in the leaves are able to be seen.  This process varies among different species of trees, so they change colors at different times.  But I couldn't understand why the timing would be so different on one tree.  Shouldn't they all change color together on a particular tree?

What if our lives are like this with all of our thoughts and energy being devoted to certain passions and the veins to other areas aren't being fed the vital nutrients they need to survive?  Or maybe, just like our skin sloughs off dead cells that aren't needed anymore, God has built in us a mechanism to slough off dead areas in our lives that we have given up.  I wonder, just like those leaves, if we stop feeding things like gossip or anger or addiction to porn or ignoring our children, will those things dry up and fall away?

God is so good and faithful to use His creation to teach us about life.  I challenge you to take a walk today.  And no matter what is it's like where you live (a warm beach, a snowy mountain, a dreary rain) look for God in His creation.  See if He speaks to you in the leaves, in the ocean, in the snow.  Open your heart to hear from Him, a lesson about your life.  I would love for you to do that and come back here and tell us what you saw and what you heard in your spirit.

God's creation is spectacular no matter what climate you live in and He will speak to your heart through it.  Here are some more of the pictures I took during my walk yesterday!



I'm linking up with Shanda Oakley's site A Pause on the Path, to see what others are saying about beauty.

From His Lap,

Eyes to See the Beauty

All this earth is groaning.
Groaning for peace...
What can come of us
If we don't see the beauty
Of all of His creation?
He formed us each
Out of the dust
With a beauty in mind...
A unique beauty
And a calling.
But there are souls
Who can't hear it.
Who will tell them?

Judgement will come.
One day it will come.
What have we done
With His love?
Who have we treated
As precious?
Who have we walked on by?
What atrocities have we Committed?
What heartbreak have they Endured
For His name sake?
How many scars do they bear
From wrongs suffered?

When He formed us,
Fashioned us
It was for a purpose.
It was to have
Sweet fellowship with Him.
It was to take
The knowledge of Him
To the ends of the earth.
It was to dwell together in Harmony.
Lifting up holy hands in praise.
Singing hymns of redemption.
Using it all for good
To raise up a standard of love.

Let's stop staining our hands  
With the pain of others.
Instead, looking into
Hearts and eyes
Letting people affect us.
For even we were formed
Out of the dust.
Men will be evil.
But some men will be full Of Him,
Taking His name to the hurting.

If we open the door to Our hearts,
Run into His presence,
Fill our souls with grace and Love,
The ugly will become
Beauty in our eyes.
Kindness will drip from our lips.
Hands will be outstretched to
Touch with the beauty
We hold in our hearts.
Souls will be healed and
His name will be known.

I would love for you to visit my friend, Shanda Oakley's site, A Pause on the Path, to see what others are saying about beauty!

From His Lap,