“The heavens are telling the Glory of God, and the firmament proclaims God’s handiwork.”

(Psalm 19:1)

Do you make sure you get out into nature at least once every day? I’ve read that one of the best ways to relieve stress in your life is to do just that. And it really doesn’t matter if you go to a park, the shoreline, or a mountain top. This is a picture I took last week of a beautiful sunset.

For me, my own backyard is full of the wonder of nature. I grew up talking to the cardinals and can still imitate their call. These days, I see egrets and bluebirds and the occasional osprey. Once in a while, there is even a bald eagle since there is a nest near me.

Geckos keep me company. There is one regrowing his tail, and it is fascinating to watch that day by day. There are also grasshoppers, which we try to keep our dog Sparky from eating. There are the toads that show up once in a while, which have to be carefully caught and moved beyond the fence. We’ve had possums in the trees with their young. And here are the butterflies which flitter through, heading, I suppose, to better feeding areas since we don’t have flowers in our yard.

But the times I love the most are the sunrises and sunsets, which color the clouds in pinks, magentas, oranges, and purples. It’s like God is saying, “Look what I can do!” And each sunrise is an opportunity to thank God for the day that lies ahead and ask for guidance through it. Then each sunset is an opportunity to say, “Thank you!” and thank God for the blessings found in the day as it ends.

There is so much stress and anxiety in our world. It can begin to take a toll on us. We are not called to retreat from it all. We are called to do our part to make the world a better place. But we need to stop often, even numerous times a day, to behold the beauty and wonder around us.

I know that for me it can make all the difference in how the day goes.

Rev. Dr. Candace R. Shultis

GAP Pastor