Join the Song
I stood by the door, watching out the window for my sister to drive up in her little white Honda. As soon as I saw her headlights turn the corner, I grabbed my guitar, my bike, and my backpack and ran out the door to meet her.
"Hey, sis!" I greeted her, "Let's go camping!"
We tossed everything in the back, grabbed some Sonic on the way out of town (who doesn't want a breakfast burrito and tots at 9:00 at night?), and made our way up to Petit Jean mountain.
As soon as we turned off the interstate, we left the city lights behind and the stars began to pop out one by one. As we snaked our way up the mountain along a narrow road, we left the busyness of normal life behind and entered the quiet, still forest. I leaned my head back, breathed in the crisp fall air, and breathed out the stresses of my new job and new apartment life. Suddenly, all decisions that I needed to make no longer needed to be made. All busy thoughts and emotions drifted away with the sweet nighttime breeze.
We arrived at campsite #85, where our parents were waiting for us with a lantern burning and Christmas lights illuminating their happy faces. All four of us snuggled down in the tent together, listening to the crickets chirping and owls hooting until tiny raindrops started to patter on the top of the tent.
There's something about camping that replaces worry with worship and stress with song. Camping takes you out of the context of your normal, busy life and puts you right in the middle of God's glorious creation where your stresses don't seem as significant as you thought they were. Instead of being surrounded by text messages, commercials, advertisements, schedules, appointments, and "important" tasks, you become surrounded by gentle breezes blowing, sunsets glowing, birds lightly chirping, fall leaves floating, water trickling, and sunshine warming. Soon, worship replaces worry and singing replaces stressing.
This is the time of year to be outside. Listen close enough and you will hear the song. As the wind whisps, it worships, seeming to sing of the breath of the Spirit of God. As clear streams of water babble down the valleys along their course, they seem to sing of God's ability to wash away sins. As the birds soar overhead with wings outstretched, they tell of the freedom to know God and be moved by Him. The trees seem to lift their hands to their Maker, the mountains seem to point to their Creator, and the stars seem to shine for their God.
I find myself joining them, and I can't help it. There is something about camping - or about being outside, immersed in the beauty of God's handiwork - that frees me to worship. Sometimes I speak this adoration aloud, sometimes I sing or play music, and sometimes I just breathe. When all of creation, including the very air around me, seems to be worshiping in stillness and silence, even my breath becomes praise.
This is the time of year to be outside. Pull out your long sleeves and scarves, drive with the windows down, go to the pumpkin patch, take a bike ride, and spend the evening outside in your neighborhood. Don't be afraid to be that friendly, unhurried person who says to everyone you pass, "Isn't this the most beautiful weather?" Drop your to-do list for a moment to feel the warm sunshine on your face as you breathe in the cool, crisp fall air. Then, pause for a moment and embrace what you are feeling and experiencing. Let your mind drift towards Him like the gentle autumn breeze. Let your worries fall away like red-orange leaves fluttering to the ground. Let the warmth of His presence flood you with light, and breathe out a beautiful song of worship.
"Hey, sis!" I greeted her, "Let's go camping!"
We tossed everything in the back, grabbed some Sonic on the way out of town (who doesn't want a breakfast burrito and tots at 9:00 at night?), and made our way up to Petit Jean mountain.
As soon as we turned off the interstate, we left the city lights behind and the stars began to pop out one by one. As we snaked our way up the mountain along a narrow road, we left the busyness of normal life behind and entered the quiet, still forest. I leaned my head back, breathed in the crisp fall air, and breathed out the stresses of my new job and new apartment life. Suddenly, all decisions that I needed to make no longer needed to be made. All busy thoughts and emotions drifted away with the sweet nighttime breeze.
We arrived at campsite #85, where our parents were waiting for us with a lantern burning and Christmas lights illuminating their happy faces. All four of us snuggled down in the tent together, listening to the crickets chirping and owls hooting until tiny raindrops started to patter on the top of the tent.
There's something about camping that replaces worry with worship and stress with song. Camping takes you out of the context of your normal, busy life and puts you right in the middle of God's glorious creation where your stresses don't seem as significant as you thought they were. Instead of being surrounded by text messages, commercials, advertisements, schedules, appointments, and "important" tasks, you become surrounded by gentle breezes blowing, sunsets glowing, birds lightly chirping, fall leaves floating, water trickling, and sunshine warming. Soon, worship replaces worry and singing replaces stressing.
This is the time of year to be outside. Listen close enough and you will hear the song. As the wind whisps, it worships, seeming to sing of the breath of the Spirit of God. As clear streams of water babble down the valleys along their course, they seem to sing of God's ability to wash away sins. As the birds soar overhead with wings outstretched, they tell of the freedom to know God and be moved by Him. The trees seem to lift their hands to their Maker, the mountains seem to point to their Creator, and the stars seem to shine for their God.
I find myself joining them, and I can't help it. There is something about camping - or about being outside, immersed in the beauty of God's handiwork - that frees me to worship. Sometimes I speak this adoration aloud, sometimes I sing or play music, and sometimes I just breathe. When all of creation, including the very air around me, seems to be worshiping in stillness and silence, even my breath becomes praise.
This is the time of year to be outside. Pull out your long sleeves and scarves, drive with the windows down, go to the pumpkin patch, take a bike ride, and spend the evening outside in your neighborhood. Don't be afraid to be that friendly, unhurried person who says to everyone you pass, "Isn't this the most beautiful weather?" Drop your to-do list for a moment to feel the warm sunshine on your face as you breathe in the cool, crisp fall air. Then, pause for a moment and embrace what you are feeling and experiencing. Let your mind drift towards Him like the gentle autumn breeze. Let your worries fall away like red-orange leaves fluttering to the ground. Let the warmth of His presence flood you with light, and breathe out a beautiful song of worship.
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