Sunday, June 01, 2008

Want of Wonder


I have this quote on my fb page:
"The world will never starve for want of wonders, but only for want of wonder."
G K Chesterton
This weekend was no exception to that.
Getting out on the river (Suwannee) on Friday morning was great. It was beautiful weather all weekend. Couldn't have asked for more pleasant weather. We played boggle, Phase 10, Mexican Train dominoes. We watched a movie Alan made on his Margaritaville Tour in Charlie. I swam in Manatee Springs - gorgeous although cold. We watched turtles, were surprised at sturgeons jumping in the water, lazied down the river, went hiking in a state park, grilled great food, swatted yellow flies and little moths and noseeums (gnats), laid out, watched the lightning flash across the calm river, slept....anything else...
The Psalmist says tons of it in a psalm I read aloud on the top deck on Saturday morning right as the sun was peeking over the trees on the bank up river from Manatee Springs:
Ps 136.4-9
to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights,for his steadfast love endures forever; 8 the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever.
Here are some highlight:
1. The calm still river in the early morning or the late night.
2. The sparkling clear water in the Springs that was 72 degrees and beautiful.
3. Fish and all the different ones out there.
4. Lightning and how amazingly it can light up a night sky (I think of the Tomlin song).
5. Cumulous (sp?) clouds that loom so high
6. Sunsets from a plane that illustrate that God is indeed an SEC fan (all in one shot: UT orange, UF orange, UF blue, dots of UGA red). It was marvelous! Then it went to periwinkle, charcoal, with yellow rims from the sun. Then the sun came out more and sent rays down - you know those ones that shine in your house that pick up the dust. These looked like you could just ride them like a slide all the way to the ground.
7. Clouds - that even though they seem like air - they pack a punch when a plane goes through it and tosses a huge piece of metal around like a feather, but we can waft right through the middle of them.
8. Twinkling lights. Ty and I sat for a long time on the front of the boat on Friday night watching the stars come on - literally. It seemed like they would twinkle for a bit then stay on. Almost like God would flip a switch and another one would come on. Made me want to sing "twinkle twinkle little star" but I refrained. It was an amazingly beautiful night.
I am so glad I serve a creative and unique and brilliant Creator.
I come out of this weekend knowing awe, wonder, and loneliness. And unsatisfied that my time by the water has come to an end - oh, how I miss it! :)
Thankful for both my parents who we were celebrating this weekend: Mom (60) and Dad (67). Thanks to A for grilling. Thanks to Ty for playing games and hiking with me (especially the spider web that was being made into a perfect circle!
Pictures to come later this week!

1 comment:

lani said...

sounds like a very relaxing time..so glad you enjoyed yourself!! :)