When I was barely 18 I saw my first real mountain. The Sandias just east of Albuquerque, NM awed me. They were lovely and it was strange to see the snowfall on us when it seemed to still be warm! Then we drove north into Colorado surrounded by a late spring snowstorm. At times the road and sky around us were completely white and I worried about how the bus driver would get us to our next destination. And then occasionally, the skies would clear enough to see the Rocky Mountains. White topped mountain peaks that were all jagged and rugged looking. As I drank in the vistas before me I was speechless and was literally in pain with the beauty of it. God makes some really spectacular views for us to enjoy.
Later I saw the Pacific Ocean for the first time. I was shivering from the cool air, especially since the temperature at our apartment was about 90 degrees! But down at the beach near Santa Monica Pier it was cold! It was only about 65 degrees and the wind was blowing and my baby Michelle’s toes and fingers started to turn blue! But the water was so blue and so endless.
We spent many days at the beach as the kids were growing up. My favorite moments, only moments since I was watching the kids, were to stand with my feet in the water, my back to the beach, looking forward towards the ocean. Then with the sound of the surf in my ears, I could barely hear the sounds from the city around me.
When we traveled to Colorado in the summer with the children, we stayed in Breckenridge. This is an amazing city, near the famous ski city of Aspen. The mountains are very tall and very close. You can drive to the foot of a ski lift where the ice still hasn’t melted. The ice “patch” is more than 50 feet long and 30 feet wide! But don’t run around too much as my son discovered, unless you have had time to adjust to the altitude! The elevation is 9599 feet! There you stand with the mountain before you and think, this looks like a movie backdrop? It is so perfect, so beautiful!
When we flew to Hawaii, I had few problems believing that I was actually on an island. There were palm trees, it was green, but it didn’t rain until our last day there. It looked very similar to California. The surf was beautiful. We saw whales playing in the ocean offshore from our rooms! At one place we saw bamboo trees and they certainly weren’t planted or groomed by anyone. Seriously, if that was gardening, they needed to fire the gardener. We went inland. We went up the coast. We rode on boats and saw the Na Pali coastline. But, as fantastic as it was, as gorgeous as it was, it just seemed like a dream.
So amazing and wondrous is God’s creation that I stand in awe of the master creator. But as great that is, how much more wondrous are his other works: the birth of a new baby, the smile of a new baby, the mischievous grin of a young boy, the pride of a new father, and the joy of a mother. How much more marvelous is the peace in a forgiven heart, the joy of the newly saved, the hope of those who have seen a way to follow, and the healing of a broken marriage.
When I look at your creation God, help me to remember that You, the master creator, are here with me. You hold my hand and whisper guidance to my heart. You give me hugs and healing from the hurts in this world. As big as my problems, catastrophes and crises are, you are much bigger. You are truly my salvation, my refuge and my God.
