stop and smell the roses

I am one to take everything in when I go somewhere.  Sometimes it drives my friends up the wall because they want to go from point A to point B.  But, I am one for the journey (and sometimes the destination).  I actually have a confession, I get nervous about the destination.  But, that is for another time.  The journey is a huge part of my life.  My mom loves going on trips with me because all I do is look at the small things and get excited about them or comment on the different colors in the world.  But, in reality, how many of us actually sit and see the world?  I mean, REALLY see the world?  I have been down to watch birds jump around on the pavement and chirp to one another while looking for food, or watching squirrels scurry up the tree after one another fighting over an acorn.  Ha.  I love those moments.  Sometimes my friends have to pull me away because I could just sit and watch nature for hours.  There are two things that I ALWAYS forget to look at and marvel at when I am heading somewhere.  The sky and the stars.  Don't get me wrong, I see them and notice the blue color but do I really SEE them?  John Piper challenges us to not just look up and see if there is a sky but look up and see the sky for what it is.  The clouds in the sky and notice the brilliant white with the blue poking through.  Or the stars in all their glory and stunning ability to take us somewhere else. 

Enjoy what God has given you.  That's why He put it here.  He put nature here for us to enjoy it and for us to see His wonderful artistry and love.  All the colors of green, or blue, or red.  There are so many shades just in nature alone without man-made alterations.  It is all beauty in itself.  The challenge is to enjoy God's work and beauty through nature and the journey of life; not just the destination.  If you see just the destination, you will miss everything in between.  I know I have done that.  Now, it's time for me to take on that challenge as well.