Enjoying His Handiwork

Great are the works of the Lord; they are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are his deeds, forever. He has caused his wonders to be remembered. Psalm 111:2-4, New International Version

Oriental Lily

Driving around the country, I am always amazed at the majesty and splendor of all of God's creation. Everywhere I look, I see His handiwork--in the fields and in the mountains, along shores and streams; even the flowers in my own garden possess a beauty that cannot be recreated by the human hand, although men have tried.

One of my favorite places on earth is Multnomah Falls, just a short drive east of Portland, Oregon in the Columbia River Gorge. It is one of many sites of natural beauty that can be found in Oregon and the Pacific Northwest and probably one of the most photographed by visitors from around the world. The falls are fed from an underground spring in Larch Mountain and run highest in winter and spring. The water cascades down the side of the mountain, dropping 542 feet to the first level and an additional 69 feet to the bottom, into a small pool, where the water continues to runoff into the Columbia River. The falls continue to drop year-round due to the underground spring, rainfall, and snow pack.

And God's most wondrous creation of all? Well, no words are needed for this one.

He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." Mark 9:36, 37 (New International Version)

Ugh! It's HOT!!!

Squirrel resting in a tree on a HOT day.

Summertime is in full force, creating scorching temperatures all across the nation.  Even in the city I live in, where the temperatures rarely exceed 100 degrees more than 3-4 days a year, we are experiencing excessively HOT temperatures and lacking the usual cool down temperatures at night.

We have already seen five straight days of temperatures over 100, topping out at 108 degrees. So far this month, we've had a total of 8 days of 100 degrees and higher, and we are only half-way through summer. Temperatures continue to stay in the upper 90s during the day, and rarely drop below 65 degrees at night. It's HOT...and I hate HOT!

The other day, I was sitting in my comfortable chair gazing out the window, when I realized there was a squirrel sprawled across the branch of a tree in our backyard. The temperature was 99 degrees, and it suddenly dawned on me that, just maybe, the squirrel was trying to stay cool on the tree branch. I don't know if he was successful or not, but I was very comfortable in my nice, air-conditioned house watching him through the window!

Big Wheels Keep on Turning

This really brings back memories--watching my grandchildren ride a Big Wheel ride-on toy. When my children were little, someone gave them a used Big Wheel, which they played with constantly. The front wheel was cracked and many of the decals were peeling, but they had more fun with it than they did with a bicycle. Oh, they loved their bicycles, too, but the Big Wheel was something they could all play with, regardless of their age. It was also more stable and less likely to tip over than their bicycles and tricycles. We had other ride-on toys as well, so they would mount up and ride around the neighborhood on their Big Wheel, tractor ride-on, wagon, Cozy Coupe, roller skates, skateboards, and whatever else they could find that had wheels.

Big Wheels have been around for nearly 50 years, although I don't remember seeing one until I had children of my own. I do remember how much fun they had, and the many hours they spent outdoors, enjoying the fresh air and playing with each other. 


Nowadays, most children spend their time in front of a computer or television screen, playing video games and watching videos. Those activities have an important role to play, especially in the development of hand-eye coordination. But they can't take the place of good, old-fashioned, outdoor activities. As parents and grandparents, we need to find the balance in the activities we find for our children and grandchildren. They only live once, and we can't go back and recreate the early years. We have to make them the best years of their lives. 


So, keep the Big Wheels rolling and encourage activity. We will all be healthier for it. 


The city streets will be filled with boys and girls playing there." Zechariah 8:5 (New International Version)