WOW. What a week! Ever have one of those? Starts out just chugging along, and then, by the end you feel like you have been run over by a freight train and a Mack truck? That was my week. Busy. Very busy. Stressful, hectic, overwhelming…just a few words that come to mind. Glad that it is over!
I found myself sitting in our living room, looking out the window at the gorgeous landscape, and I could literally feel my pulse slow. A couple of deep breaths later, and I remembered why I love living out in the country. Peace. Quiet. Openness. Your soul can expand…your heart rest. The mountains remind you of your place, and of time itself. They've been here forever. And they'll be there for a long time to come. It reminds you that "this too shall pass", and that you'll turn out all right. But in a lot of ways, in order for that to happen, you have to be still. It's only when you've stopped moving that you can understand where you have been and where you want to go. We need to pause, to rest. Often, when I am hiking in the forest, I will just stop. And listen. It will amaze you what you will hear in that silence. By the time you are done listening, the silence will almost roar, it is so "loud"…it's almost as if you hear the earth breathing. It is in these quiet moments that I feel the closest to God, and to His heart…the living breathing creation crying out to the Creator in praises human ears can hardly understand…it is in this I understand Psalms 148:
Psalm 148
1 Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were created.
6 He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and maidens,
old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 He has raised up for his people a horn,
the praise of all his saints,
of Israel, the people close to his heart.
Praise the LORD.
