Savoring Wildflowers in Spring

Over the past month my wife and I have taken several weekend drives throughout different areas of the Texas Hill Country to enjoy the Spring wildflowers. My wife’s favorites are the Texas Bluebonnets. Spring is a refreshing time of year due to the dynamic colors of the flowers breaking out from the drab brown of Winter dormancy of the plants and trees. Recently I have seen a few pictures come up on friends’ Facebook pages of flowers and plants coming alive again up in Ohio and Illinois. They need the refreshing renewal of Spring even more than those of us here in Texas; as they had one of the coldest Winters in a long time. (Makes one wonder about the global warming theorists?? I will leave it at that- think about it).

Flowers call for attention. You can rush by the flowers and miss them and many people do. I feel those who rush by miss out on one of life’s savoring pleasures. On our drives we took country roads around where websites had sightings of bluebonnets. We took our time driving along to spot the flowers and if someone behind was in a hurry we simply pulled off to let them go and kept enjoying our wildflower drive. Where we found open fields of flowers we would stop and take time to meander around in the fields with our cameras taking pictures. The pictures this week come from our flower excursions.

With wildflowers and any flowers there is first of all the big picture enjoyment of gazing at the big picture of the total landscape. Seeing the array of colors mixed with green against the backdrop of the blue skies is an awesome reminder for me personally of the great God artist behind nature. Then I move from the big picture to focusing in on the individual flowers. I am amazed at the intensity of color and the delicate makeup of the flower itself. These close observations make me wonder why is there such a variety of flowers? We went primarily looking for bluebonnets and this year was a great year to find them. At the same time we also enjoyed a variety of yellow, orange, pick and purple flowers along the drive. The variety again drives my mind back to thinking about a Creator God behind the diverse colors and variety of flowers. Of course that thought stems from my belief system. I simply feel the most reasonable explanation for such awesome beauty, complexity and diversity is found in positing a God behind nature. The atheist I guess in their belief, can stand and wonder at the infinitesimal probabilities of random chance chaos popping these flowers into existence out of nothing. So no matter what your belief system is you can still be amazed at the innate beauty of wildflowers in nature.

Taking the time to break out of our busy life to drive around was a relaxing way to de-stress from the stressors of life. We came home rested with a renewed inner joy from seeing the beauty of creation. Maybe you have never taken time to do country drives or going out to nature parks in the Springtime. If you are looking for a new way to break out of the rut of your same old, same old ok life give it a try. Simply check on the internet for parks in your area to visit. Do a search for what wildflowers are natural to your state and area and see where there have seen sightings. Then take a weekend morning or afternoon drive to savor the wildflowers of your areas.

Here are a few websites on wildflowers to explore. The first is the section of the U.S. Forest service website on wildflowers. Then of course being here in Texas I list two websites about wildflowers here in Texas. We live in large diverse country so the Forest Service website showcases information on wildflowers in each geographic area.

U.S. Forest Service - http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers

Texas Wild Flowers - http://texas.wildflowersightings.org

Texas Blue Bonnets - http://www.bluebonnetlove.com

Reflection: Do you take time to notice the Springtime flowers? Do you find yourself too busy for that? Maybe that is a sign you are too busy. Slow down and take time to smell the roses and be awed by the natural beauty of the flowers in your local area.

Savoring Butterflies and Flowers

A week ago we took a family vacation to my home state of Ohio. Having a chance to go away is always helpful to gain new perspectives and take advantage of must needed rest from the busy routines of life. We stayed with my third grade teacher, Verna Clifford, in Norton, Ohio which borders my hometown of Barberton. Spending time with her, other friends and family made for a pleasant time away from Texas. We also took time during the week to experience various sights in Ohio. One excursion that stood out was a visit to the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio.

The Franklin Park Conservatory is a horticultural delight of designed flower gardens and green houses. When we visited they were holding a special feature on butterflies. They had a window display hatchery where you could view the butterflies emerging from their cocoons. Then they had a large green house area of lush flowers with butterflies. This is where we spent most of our time. We each had cameras and were watching the butterflies to see where they would land. Everyone in the green house had the same agenda of taking pictures of the butterflies.

Butterflies must have the highest levels of ADHD of all insects or maybe it is just the nectar. They flit to and fro and when they would land -- just when you were ready to snap a picture off they would fly. It did not help much that there were a few unsupervised girls running around chasing the butterflies. They were not content to watch they wanted to touch the delicate creatures. Thankfully for the butterflies they remained elusive to the annoying trio running through the greenhouse. I was able to obtain a few good pictures while some of the butterflies were resting on plants. I took the time to observe their beautiful designs on their wings. It is amazing in considering how delicate the wings are. It is more amazing that those wings can transport these wonderfully designed creations from Brazil and Mexico up to Ohio. As I was savoring the uniqueness of the butterflies in the created order of nature I also observed the other photographers who gazed at these insects with a sense of wonder.

In this greenhouse there were many flowers to observe and enjoy. We took time to go through several other greenhouses that looked at desert , tropical, and rainforest flowers. We did not have time to cover all the outside gardens but saw quite a few. There were such a variety of flowers to view. From a photography standpoint the flowers are easier as they are not moving away from the camera. But as with the beauty of the butterflies I could not just quickly glance and walk on by. To capture the full beauty of the color and design of the flowers you need to take time to observe and savor the intricate delicate beauty of them. So many colors and shades of colors along with the variety of petal designs.

Taking time for the butterflies and flowers in nature is a relaxing way to spend a day. Absorbing the mind in observing their beauty is a de-stressing activity and you can feel the calmness sweep over your inner being. From time to time in living more than ok I believe everyone should take a day to visit a park, a botanical garden, a nature conservatory and take time to savor nature. It is a positive way to recharge the inner being by literally taking time to “smell the roses”.

Also from my world-view perspective as a Christian it allowed me to have a greater awe filled savoring in my mind about God as Creator. I see the beauty and variety of flowers and can see the artistic mind of God behind them and the butterflies. It is interesting as I was thinking of writing this week on this experience by happenstance, I came across an NPR article about the author, Stephen King. In the interview with National Public Radio, he states on the topic of God, “"I choose to believe it. ... I mean, there's no downside to that. If you say, 'Well, OK, I don't believe in God. There's no evidence of God,' then you're missing the stars in the sky and you're missing the sunrises and sunsets and you're missing the fact that bees pollinate all these crops and keep us alive and the way that everything seems to work together.” That is how I look at it as well. I choose to believe in a Creator God as it makes sense from my observations of the intricacies and complexities of life and nature. I admit it is on faith but a reasoned faith as I look at the created order. I respect the atheist to hold onto their blind faith on the unproven theory of macro-evolution. I often find that those who bark the loudest against those who believe in an Intelligent Designer will act like Darwin proved evolution as a fact. When pressed they often admit they have never even read Darwin’s, The Origin of the Species. I read it and still have it on my bookshelf. It was not convincing to me as he does not prove evolution in the macro sense. It is still a just a theory. I look to the butterflies and the flowers and they seem to be shouting out clearly concerning the Creator God. He is there and not silent.

Reflection: Take a morning or afternoon to enjoy a park or flower garden in your town. What are the flowers and nature saying to you? Stop by a flower and spend a few minutes to observe and savor the experience with all your senses. Does the experience relax and calm you?


Link to interview with Stephen King -- http://www.npr.org/2013/05/28/184827647/stephen-king-on-growing-up-believing-in-god-and-getting-scared

Enjoy A Break From Technology

To enjoy a Living More Than OK Life it helps to take a break from technology. Technology is so much of our daily lives and we often we can not do without it. Much of our work involves the computer screen many hours a day. Emails and texts seem to be never ending. Even in grocery stores in produce sections I see people picking up vegetables or fruits with one hand and scrolling their iphone screens with the other. I want to walk up them and say “why don’t you give it a rest”. As a family we gave technology a rest this past weekend.

We took a weekend trip to Bastrop State Park, which is outside of Austin, Texas. Instead of doing a hotel we rented a full service cabin inside the park grounds. The cabins were very simple but comfortable. I was surprised to read of the history of the cabins on a poster inside the cabin. It turned out that they were built in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. I remembered that 3 of my uncles served in the CCC before World War II. The cabins were made of stone so they had survived the Bastrop Fires that occurred last Summer.
We enjoyed canoeing on the lake and hiking through the woods. Even though the fire had devastated the area, we viewed nature making a come back. Many of the pines near the cabins were coming back strong. Further from the lake and into the deeper wooded areas the trees were still more barren. If we can have some strong late Fall rains as the weather forecast is predicting hopefully next Spring will see more greening of the trees.

The morning canoe outing was the highlight for my wife and I. It was so relaxing to be out on a still lake viewing the surrounding nature from that perspective. We took the sights in with all our senses to savor the time together and capturing pictures of the beauty of the park. That is one of the positives of taking time to be out in nature to savor God’s Creation.

In the evening at the cabin we continued to keep away from technology. There was no television in the cabin. So we spent time playing a game called WhatchamaDRAWit. We had never played it since buying it and had lost the instructions so we made up our own rules and enjoyed playing our version of it. That opened up conversation time which is also a rare item in today’s technology world of texting or talking in short phrases. Twitter and Facebook communication has limited communication to just short phrases. It seems like people can’t read an email that asks three topics as they will just respond to whatever the person first stated and ignore the other items in an email. So it was pleasant to be away from the technology to use old fashioned speaking in communication.

We bought a Texas State Park pass at the park as we realized as a couple and a family, we need to break away from technology from time to time. To enjoy life to the fullest it helps to do other things than to be tied to the electronic gadgetry that tries to control our lives. We are looking forward to going back to Bastrop State Park and exploring other state parks during this next year.

Reflection: Take a day and shut down the electronic technology that you think is vital to your existence. You will see you can survive a day without Facebook or texting. You may even enjoy it. Go to a State park, zoo, museum, or a picnic at a local park. Enjoy a conversation with someone with the cell phone off or silent. Write in a journal how your experience from technology felt.

Thankfulness for Mothers on Mother’s Day

Thankfulness enriches our lives by aiding in our positive mental health. Research reveals that people who our thankful have a happier outlook on life. They are more positive in their being. To have a thankful spirit we need to have an attitude of gratitude in our mindset as we look and savor life. One way to help in this mindset is taking time to be thankful on special holidays other than just Thanksgiving Day. As I write this I am thinking over Mother’s Day tomorrow.

I think back to my mother who passed away over 15 years ago now. Remembering memories of her on Mother’s Day does not make me sad but instead thankful for whom she was. She was a devout Christian with a strong faith that she passed on to me. It was a faith that gave her hope while living through the Great Depression, working in a Rubber factory during WWII, having a husband who died much too early leaving her a widow with three boys. Still she never complained as she had a faith that God would take care of things. She was faithful to her church. At her going home celebration after she died one minister mentioned she was one of his most faithful parishioners. She wanted the best for her sons so encouraged education. My being a bookhead today is because she emphasized membership at the local library. She was always supportive of our educational journeys. As I savor memories of her life there is much to be thankful for.

On this Mother’s Day I think of my wife’s faithful love and care for our daughter. Since our daughter came into our life, Susie has had a heart filled concern that Alejandra would have a bright future. Much of her growth into a young lady with her healthcare career in mind has been the fruit of my wife’s motherly wisdom and encouraging her to take time to shadow workers at the hospital where Susie works. My wife’s strong faith in God also is a reminder to me the importance of God in my life journey.

Below I have a poem by Helen Steiner Rice that makes us consider the depth of a Mother’s love. It is a love that is sacrificial, and unselfish. It is a love that unconditionally is devoted to the objects of her love her children. Rice makes a point at the end that a Mother’s love is a manifestation of God’s hand in the lives of her children. It is a love that reminds all of us to be thankful for the mothers in our lives and to be thankful for the positive impact of Mothers in the lives of their families.

A Mother’s Love by Helen Steiner Rice

A Mother's love is something
that no one can explain,
It is made of deep devotion
and of sacrifice and pain,
It is endless and unselfish
and enduring come what may
For nothing can destroy it
or take that love away . . .
It is patient and forgiving
when all others are forsaking,
And it never fails or falters
even though the heart is breaking . . .
It believes beyond believing
when the world around condemns,
And it glows with all the beauty
of the rarest, brightest gems . . .
It is far beyond defining,
it defies all explanation,
And it still remains a secret
like the mysteries of creation . . .
A many splendoured miracle
man cannot understand
And another wondrous evidence
of God's tender guiding hand

Reflection: What does Helen Steiner Rice’s poem say to you? Think about your mother and write down 5 things you are thankful for concerning her.

Viewing Creation With A Thankful Spirit

This past weekend my wife, daughter and I enjoyed a visit to the San Antonio Botanical Garden . Above this article you will see a few of the pictures from our visit. As usual we all had our cameras with us. We left early as the Texas heat is already making its presence felt. With the grounds map in hand we leisurely strolled through the garden.

Being in an environment where creation in all it’s beauty is pointing to the Creator behind it all is personally inspiring. It inspired a thankful spirit. You can enjoy a picture or painting of creation but seeing it live is always more moving of an experience. In art museums I tend to spend more time savoring nature works of art but they don’t come close to seeing what the Master Artist/Creator does in nature. There was such a variety to see and experience, from the rose garden, the Piney Woods area with a pond, the Hill Country wild flower area, and the Japanese garden.
My wife had some questions answered by the grounds keepers. The workers were very polite and were knowledgeable about the plants they tended. The one man we spoke with truly enjoyed his work at the Garden. My favorite area was the Japanese garden. They had gorgeous Japanese red maples and the shrubbery was neatly trimmed. In the Japanese garden area we took a rest from our walking. It was a quiet spot to simply, silently rest and mindfully soak in the colors around us.

Back to the thankful spirit that being in such a place brings to mind. As I savored our time there I first of all was thankful to the Creator God who has given us such beauty and variety in nature. What is there were no flowers and just one type of grass and only two types of trees everywhere on the earth? Can anyone say boring? As we went through the SA Botanical Garden in trees alone there was a vast variety. Then add the variety in bushes, flowers and rock formations. I was thankful for that.

Then being with family for an experience such as this reminds me to be thankful for my wife and daughter as I watched them enjoying the nature around them as well. I was thankful for a visitor from out of state who we talked to in the Japanese garden. Earlier she had overheard my wife wondering the name of a plant. Since we were sitting in the same area she took the time to share that it was an agave plant. I was also thankful for the dedicated workers who tended to the garden to keep it in such delightful condition.

I could have just rushed through the garden just to say I had been there, but by mindfully taking our time I fully enjoyed the total experience. From the most delicate flowers in the green house; to the cactus garden; to watching the turtles sunning themselves on a log in the pond, there was so much to be thankful for. When you go to a park, garden, zoo, or aquarium go into the experience with a sense of a thankful spirit and you will discover a deep restful enjoyment.

Reflection: Take a morning or afternoon to visit a local park or botanical garden. Go into the time with a spirit of finding things to be thankful for. Later, journal how you felt during the time and how you felt afterwards. Did it increase your happiness level?