“There’s a poem that says that the person who can best appreciate God is the one who is familiar with the natural world He made.”
Charlotte Mason volume 1, page 61
Besides reading scripture, the natural world gives us many opportunities to see God’s qualities in what he has made for us. There is much to learn when we spend time, large amounts of time, with our eyes wide open to the world around us. Not just this earthly realm but the heavens themselves are there as a testament to His organization and His faithfulness.
My youngest son has grown up living the “nature study” sort of life and at thirteen he is capable of amazing even me with his awareness of the creation around us. I hope that by sharing our experiences with nature that it helps other families to begin to see the benefits and the joy of learning about the world outdoors.
Mr. B spotted many things that I would have missed when we were camping on the Oregon Coast last June. He found snails, hermit crabs, mussels, water snails, and banana slugs. He pointed out the biggest slug I have ever seen and we enjoyed watching him slowing making his way across the trail in front of us. I would have either missed it or avoided it if he hadn’t been along with me on the hike.
I gave him the assignment to find three different kinds of mushrooms or fungus on this trip to identify and draw. He easily found a dozen different kinds and we were able to identify the ones he found most interesting. This meant careful observation at ground level many times….taking packs off and kneeling over to look at the undersides of the mushrooms.
I spend much of my time looking at the colorful beauty in nature, finding a refreshing sense of just what kind of Creator would make such a feast for the eyes. My son has taught me that he finds God’s hand in the sometimes ugly and not so attractive aspects of nature…making them a beauty in my eyes by looking at them from his point of view. The useful and wise ways of God are seen in how he provides an organized web of life around us if we are only observant enough to take the time to truly see it.
We were coloring with the big box of crayolas – the “atomic orange,” and neons just didn’t seem “natural” to me. Until, of course, your post today- atomic orange is on the fungus AND the lily! We think so many things are manmade, but are they really? More man-manipulated, if that’s a word.. 😉 thanks for the insight, Barb!
I was trying to tell my son something last weekend and he kept grabbing my hand. Finally I said, “What?” and he pointed to an unknown bird a few yards away.
“I thought you’d want to check him out. I don’t think it’s one you have yet,” he said.
Oh.
Just when you think that your words have been bouncing off the tin roof skull under the skater cap, they show that they’ve been listening all along.
Barb, I just love the swirly tendrils coming off the plant in your top photo “O) I really enjoy reading your posts everyday “O)
Krista,
You are so right…bright, bright orange! You can’t miss them. We love Crayola crayon colors and we sometimes make up our own color names like Crater Lake Blue and now we will add Tiger Lily Orange.
Sebastian,
My boys do that with me all the time! Wonderful.
Pauline,
I love the swirling tendrils too…it is a wild cucumber vine. I think I took about ten photos of this particular one because it was so photo perfect.
Thanks for the comments,
Barb
Hi Barb, Oh I just love those bright orange Tiger Lily’s how beautiful. Woo hoo! I think I finally figured out how to link to your site from ours…Here is a post of one of our “taking notice” walks. If you scroll down to my first post, there is another one also…Still have much to put on their as far as old nature photos, but looking forward to that. Thank you for always inspiring so many to worship our Creator…Lovingly, Denise
Thank you Barb for sharing this with us. I so often feel disheartened and a bit alone in what we do, surrounded by a world of malls and obligatory Disneyland holidays, but when I read a blog entry like this I am reminded of a community of like-minded people.
Beautiful,orange,colored flowers!
Only God could create something so lovely.