Psalms 104:24 (NLT), “O Lord, what a variety of things you have made! In wisdom you have made them all. The earth is full of your creatures.”
Yesterday I wanted to do something with my sons since they are both home with me for Spring Break. I was going to plan a trip to the National Zoo. We have been there several times before and while it’s free, you have to pay for parking, fight the traffic, etc. So instead of doing that I looked for something we could do close to home. There are a series of trails running around the neighborhood we live in and I thought, today is the day to explore them. So I got the 19 yr old and the 5 yr old, with our walking sticks, and we headed off to enjoy the outdoors. We went on a 2.5 mile trail hike and it was a blast! It reminded me of all the things God places around us for us to enjoy. The simple things that we take for granted each day.
It really made me think about how many times my wife and I both said, “We should explore the trails”. Each time we ended up finding something else to do. How many times have I passed by something God had already placed there for me to enjoy to go for something “better”, or what I thought was something better. I admit I sometimes get caught up in thinking I have to do the “big thing” instead of enjoying the small things in life. I think we can all relate to that in some way.
I love how so many times it’s the children who point out to us what we’ve been overlooking. It’s the children who see the beauty in the simple things in our world. My son’s being excited about exploring the trails opened my eyes to something that cost us nothing, but provided such great enjoyment and bonding time. All it took was for me to open my eyes to what was right in front of me.
Too often we let the commercialism of this world make us think enjoyment and family time has to come with a price tag attached. That is not true! Yes, by all means if you have the financial means to enjoy those things with your family then you should. But never believe the price tag will equal enjoyment. It’s that quality time you spend with the one’s you love that brings the enjoyment. That quality time can be spent doing those things with a price tag attached or it can be spent doing the simple things, like taking a walk in the woods with your sons surrounded by God’s natural beauty. Either way it’s the quality time spent with those special to you that counts.
Don’t let those simple things pass you by because your focus is elsewhere, they could mean the world to you!
Truth In Love! ~ Chuck