everything that's on my mind
(as if there's not already enough people doing this)Tuesday, August 30, 2005
The world around me
I've been watching some of the coverage of hurricane Katrina. The power and destructive force of hurricanes (as well as tornados and other storms) is always compelling to watch. They march across the waters, then hit land and level everything it their path for a while, and gradually start losing their strength. The amount of destruction they can do in such a short amount of time is astonishing. I've seen some of the news footage and stories on television this morning before I left for work, and to see what has happened in New Orleans, Mississippi, and elsewhere is staggering. I pray for these people in them midst of their loss and pain.
A couple of years ago, we had a rough storm come through Huntsville, Alabama, where we were living at the time. This had quite an impact on my daughter, who was old enough to start noticing such things. During the storm, we were watching local stations that were covering the weather non-stop, and so she watched as the weather people discussed the weather, pointed at radar maps, and the like. As a result of this, she became very interested in weather-related topics, and The Weather Channel became her favorite television channel. It always made me laugh that a 4-year-old was sitting in her playroom watching TWC instead of The Disney Channel or Nick Jr. Instead of Blue’s Clues, Dora the Explorer, or The Wiggles, she’s opting for Stephanie Abrams, Jim Cantore and Doppler radar.
During that time, we began watching "Storm Stories" every night on TWC, usually together. There was usually a new storm every night. One night a hurricane, another night a tornado, then the next night a flood, and you heard to stories of the storms themselves and the people who endured them. One week was especially interesting, as they had "Tornado Week" with different tornado stories every night. Once again, you saw the sheer power of storms and what they can do to cities, people's homes, and people's lives.
So often, it seems, we get accustomed to things in this world and the way it works. Storms are still frightening, but I think sometimes we get used to seeing the destruction through news coverage, and the stories about what is happening in such areas after the storm, that maybe we do not consider (or at least not for long) the power behind what has happened, especially if it's not directly affecting us. This is not just true of the destructive side of nature, but also the beauty of the world around us. We often fail to notice the awe-inspiring world we live in.
I just finished John Eldredge's book EPIC : The Story God Is Telling and The Role That Is Yours To Play. Here is a quote from this book:
While he's not talking about storms here, it stands true for storms as well as the beauty of nature and other wonders of this life. Too often, we're too busy to stop and consider the world around us, created by God for us, and really take in the majesty of God’s creation. I've not yet been to the Grand Canyon, but I hear it's a breathtaking sight. I've been to the mountains in Colorado on snow-skiing trips, and it's magnificent. I've seen the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean waters, and they are amazing. I've stood in western Madison County in North Alabama, on a clear, sunny day with a blue sky and a few white clouds here and there, and observed the beauty of something as simple as a clear sky.
But it's not very often that I stop and consider such things. I hope that I can do that more, that I can teach my kids to look around at the beauty of this world God has given us, and that we can together stand in awe of it all.
A couple of years ago, we had a rough storm come through Huntsville, Alabama, where we were living at the time. This had quite an impact on my daughter, who was old enough to start noticing such things. During the storm, we were watching local stations that were covering the weather non-stop, and so she watched as the weather people discussed the weather, pointed at radar maps, and the like. As a result of this, she became very interested in weather-related topics, and The Weather Channel became her favorite television channel. It always made me laugh that a 4-year-old was sitting in her playroom watching TWC instead of The Disney Channel or Nick Jr. Instead of Blue’s Clues, Dora the Explorer, or The Wiggles, she’s opting for Stephanie Abrams, Jim Cantore and Doppler radar.
During that time, we began watching "Storm Stories" every night on TWC, usually together. There was usually a new storm every night. One night a hurricane, another night a tornado, then the next night a flood, and you heard to stories of the storms themselves and the people who endured them. One week was especially interesting, as they had "Tornado Week" with different tornado stories every night. Once again, you saw the sheer power of storms and what they can do to cities, people's homes, and people's lives.
So often, it seems, we get accustomed to things in this world and the way it works. Storms are still frightening, but I think sometimes we get used to seeing the destruction through news coverage, and the stories about what is happening in such areas after the storm, that maybe we do not consider (or at least not for long) the power behind what has happened, especially if it's not directly affecting us. This is not just true of the destructive side of nature, but also the beauty of the world around us. We often fail to notice the awe-inspiring world we live in.
I just finished John Eldredge's book EPIC : The Story God Is Telling and The Role That Is Yours To Play. Here is a quote from this book:
We have grown dull toward this world in which we live; we have forgotten that it is not normal or scientific in any sense of the word. It is fantastic. It is fairy tale through and through. Really now. Elephants? Caterpillars? Snow? At what point did you lose your wonder of it all?
While he's not talking about storms here, it stands true for storms as well as the beauty of nature and other wonders of this life. Too often, we're too busy to stop and consider the world around us, created by God for us, and really take in the majesty of God’s creation. I've not yet been to the Grand Canyon, but I hear it's a breathtaking sight. I've been to the mountains in Colorado on snow-skiing trips, and it's magnificent. I've seen the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean waters, and they are amazing. I've stood in western Madison County in North Alabama, on a clear, sunny day with a blue sky and a few white clouds here and there, and observed the beauty of something as simple as a clear sky.
But it's not very often that I stop and consider such things. I hope that I can do that more, that I can teach my kids to look around at the beauty of this world God has given us, and that we can together stand in awe of it all.
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