For behold, He who forms mountains and creates the wind And declares to man what are His thoughts, He who makes dawn into darkness And treads on the high places of the earth, The LORD God of hosts is His name. Amos 4:13
Since I was a little girl, when I have walked out in nature, God has spoken to my heart. His art calls out to my own heart and validates His life and presence to my soul. Out under the myriad night sparkling stars while snuggling under covers on a wind-blown mountain top; sitting on the golf-course in the early evening near my old family home, amidst a pink, purple sunset painting the horizon; watching a swirling snowstorm creep into my mountain valley like an ocean tide sweeping into a cove; watching a mountain lake climb the walls of a faraway castle in the midst of a thunder storm; standing amidst thousands of dancing azure bluebonnets in an abandoned farm field--these and more fill my memory of times I felt His presence. These memories stored up, with many more, calling to my yearning heart, "There is an artist, a loving, good, deeply caring personal designer behind all of this vast beauty."
And so I became a walker--walking miles and miles amongst mountain roads, sea shores of Prince Edward Island, city streets in the Vienna nights, round the rivers and fields in Poland, all over the world, new places to appreciate the beauty and to fellowship with its creator.
Developing the conviction that being out with Him was healthy--for me, for my children. Seeing that when fussing was inevitable, moods were tight, I could take my wee precious ones out for a tromp in nature and see their little hearts, with mine, relax, find soothing for our ruffled souls.
So, it seemed, by intuition, and reading, I knew of Him who the mountains and creating the wind, declaring to me His thoughts, the one who painted the sky with his fingertips and made dawn into darkness--amazing, this!
And so I incorporated this into my educational philosophy for my children at home--beauty, creation, color, sound, texture, tastes--music, art, great stories--this, I instinctively knew, was from Him.
No surprise to me, then that the Holy Spirit who led me to these conclusions, would also provide scientific research that would document what I was led to by faith--that a brain functions better when at exposed to the peace and beauty of nature. That a brain surrounded by technology, traffic, noise, clutter, becomes taxed and weary and less functional. All the striving of man depletes man of his noble thoughts.
However when we practice sabbath rest, when we give our brains beauty, nature and exposure to Him, we find function of life at its best.
And so, even in the midst of my full days, I seek to walk or sit on my porch, or at the very least bring beauty, nature and peace into my home. It soothes my soul, supports creative and intelligent thought and feeds and nurtures the life of my family.
a basket of berries, foliage, apples, to bring the color and beauty of His hand into our home. (thanks, Sarah for putting it together!) Below the article on nature and the brain!