My Father's World

One song that we often sang in youth group when I was a teen and also in church was, "This Is My Father's World". The words are etched in my brain's archives, even though it has been many years since I sang it last. We just returned from enjoying more of the beauty of my Father's world - thus the late publish of this blog.

John and I have been very blessed to be able to travel around this great country, mostly since we have been empty nesters. Sorry sons. We love the National Parks, especially. So this year we are traveling to Wyoming to see Yellowstone and The Grand Teton. Of course, my camera is in tow so I can fill more picture albums. Though the family doesn't seem to enjoy the pictures very much, John and I love looking back through them and trying to remember the experiences we enjoyed.

Taken 7-19-18 looking east from Grimes at Bondurant tornado.

Sing along, if you remember: "This is my Father's world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father's world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas--His hand the wonders wrought. This is my Father's world, The birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker's praise. This is my Father's world: He shines in all that's fair; In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere. This is my Father's world, O let me ne'er forget That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the Ruler yet. This is my Father's world: Why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King: let the heavens ring! God reigns: let earth be glad! A-men." Written by Maltbie D. Babcock in 1901 and Franklin L. Sheppard, 1915, I imagine they felt just as John and I do when we view the wonderful glory of the Lord in God's Nature.

You don't have to travel to experience the beauty of God's World of nature. I watched the above cloud formation all the way from Boone to Grimes that afternoon and wanted to catch it with the field corn in front. Our son's acreage provided the perfect setting as I took the photo above. Only after I arrived home did I hear about the tornado warnings and this cloud seemed to be in the right place at the right time to be the Bondurant tornado. We later watched the news with horror as other tornados ravaged Marshalltown, Pella, and rural areas in Iowa. Beauty sometimes holds even greater power than when it touches our hearts.

"How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, "You God reigns!" (Isaiah 52:7 NIV).