The Sun, Moon and Rainbow!

You know, sometimes you have to stand in awe and watch the beautiful blossoms of God’s grand creation, speak uniquely in their natural personal appearances, which cannot be orchestrated by man. While driving home this evening just before darkness crept up, we had a rainshower during the same time the sun came out. Old folks used to say in certain cultures that this was a sign the Devil was beating his wife! Go figure and don’t ask!

But after the showers, as expected I saw the beautiful arch of a rainbow opposite the brilliance of the sun. Although the sight of a rainbow makes my heart skip a beat, because it is a clear reminder of the beauty that lies after a storm, I saw something else that peaked through the opening of some white clouds in front of the backdrop of a blue sky. Incredibly, it was a perfect half moon. I wanted to pull over out of the traffic, because I simply could not believe that I was witnessing the cameo appearances of the sun, moon and a rainbow all at the same time!

All I could say at that moment was “WOW, God you are so awesome!” I couldn’t even take a picture that would come close to grasping the beauty and emotion I was feeling at that moment. Sometimes, just when we least expect it, God will whisper to us, “Psst, come here and let me show you something” or “Hey, would you take a look at this!” If you are intuned to hear and listen His voice when He speaks, no matter where you are or what is going on around you, God will reveal some amazing and spectacular things, that can change your life in a miraculous way!

Ice, Ice Baby!

 “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” ~Anne Bradstreet

Anyone who had a terrifying experience with ice knows just how dangerous walking or driving on it can be. It can be scary, frustrating, inconvenient and sometimes deadly. The first day we had ice this week, we lost our satellite signal. We opted to have our dish located on the ground instead of on the roof, and I am so glad that we made that decision. I carefully walked outside, bundled up with an ice scraper, to see if there was any buildup obstructing the reception of the signal. With each step I took, the ice ahead of me would reveal vein like fractures that would make you think you would fall through the cracks at a given moment. When I finally reached the dish and started chipping the ice off of it, the next thing that happened nearly freaked me out. When the ice I was chipping away hit the ground, it started bouncing like a bunch of marbles someone spilled on the floor. I never experienced anything like that before. Because it was quiet outside, the sounds of the bouncing ice was too hard to ignore. Needless to say, I got back in the house as quickly as I could.

As we are trying to recover from the arctic blast that has laden the southeast with ice-covered snow, it seems like the ground and streets were turned into an ice rink, and regular objects sitting outside have formed some surprising ice sculptures. I was passing by my window this morning looking at how little the snow on our deck melted and noticed that in certain areas the snow-turned ice almost looked like an optical illusion. I would think that because of a brief melting and refreezing point from yesterday, these cute little attention getters resulted from that. However, these small sculptures literally looked like they were suspended in air and defied gravity.

First, the banister on the deck looked as if snow was still pack on it. But, when I looked closer, it appeared as if it was molded into an arch that mimicked the wave of an ocean. Then I noticed something in a small fountain sitting in one corner of my deck, and I cannot for the life of me, even come up with how this piece of ice formed into what I saw. It appeared that it was actually sculpted where parts of it was almost paper thin and the end section that meandered upward was as if something was flinging water up in the air and it immediately did a freeze frame. In case you are wondering if water was flowing through the fountain at that time, it was not. When the temperatures drop as low as they have been, I unplug the fountain, because the tubes will freeze.

I know that I tend to become fascinated by these natural wonders and I am not scientific by any means. But, I am curious about how this unexplained mystery occurred. I wished I had a camera filming this water metamorphosis, because to believe it, is to see it. Despite the dangers of walking or driving on this ice, to watch the prisms of light glistening throughout the ebb and flow of these natural ice sculptures by the sunlight, is truly a breathtaking sight. The only response that I have for this unexplained phenomenon is that God is truly an Awesome and Masterful artist!

 http://www.kymgmoore.com/

Moments to Embrace Natural Wonders

“Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully, he can learn more than what is in books, for they speak with the voice of God.” ~ George Washington Carver

It’s amazing that as adults we sometimes stop soaking in the excitement of little things that exhilarated us when we were kids. The older I get, I often find myself sitting quietly and taking a moment to absorb the awesome beauty of God’s incredible creation. During the spring and summer, I am constantly sitting outside listening to the birds singing, watching the squirrels run to and fro, and seeing the birth of new shoots of flowers and leaves unfolding everywhere.

I still marvel at the changes in our weather, and although many describe it as bizarre occurrences, I have to sit down and take in the beauty of the moment. When we have rain showers, I sometimes sit by the window and occasionally open it, to watch and listen to the melody of the raindrops. When there is a nice spring breeze outside, I sometimes open my windows to allow the fresh air to float through. In the morning as the sun slowly rises, I get excited watching the sky transform from shades of orange sherbet and lilac into a beautiful blue sky with white, fluffy clouds and think, “Now this is good!”

We know that at any given moment, the more torrential the rain falls, the greater the threat of flooding. We know that the stronger the breeze, the greater the threat of a tornado. We know that the stronger the snowfall, the greater the chance for a blizzard. Although we understand and heed the dangers of the storms, we know at the end of the storm, the sun (Son) always shines with rays of hope!

But this morning, for this moment, as I look outside watching the delicate showers of snowflakes fall, in all of its innocence, majesty, purity and gentleness, I think, “God, you are more awesome than I could ever imagine.” I am grateful, for the opportunity to simply stop, observe and get giddy about seeing and experiencing life, with the type of excitement I remember feeling when I was younger!

If only for a moment, stop and smell the roses, magnolias or gardenias. If only for a moment, stop and listen to the musical composition of the rainfall. If only for a moment, stop and watch the fluidity of the trees dance in the gentle breeze. If only for a moment, stop and watch as the delicate whispers of snowflakes in the crisp winter air begin to layer the ground and trees in a beautiful white blanket of “wow!”. If only for a moment, we will find that the special events of life will turn into minutes, then into hours, then into days and then into years. Finally, you will realize that your one moment of gratitude can turn into a lifetime of unforgettable memories! Enjoy your moment…I certainly am!

http://www.kymgmoore.com/