1. What one thought or idea from today's lesson especially intrigued, provoked, disturbed, challenged, encouraged, warmed, warned, helped, or surprised you?
2. Share a story about a time when you most felt the humble awe and joyful wonder described in this chapter.
3. What is the most beautiful place you have ever seen? What was so special about it?
4. What is your favorite animal? Why do you like it so much?
Activate
5. This week, choose one facet of creation that you love — birds, trees, weather, soil, water, light, children, sex, aging, sleep. Observe it, think about it, learn about it every chance you can, with this question in mind: if that element of creation were your only Bible, what would it tell you about God?
Meditate
6. Observe a few moments of silence. Let a silent prayer of gratitude arise from within you.
7 comments:
1. What one thought or idea from today's lesson especially intrigued, provoked, disturbed, challenged, encouraged, warmed, warned, helped, or surprised you?
I am intrigued by this paragraph on page 5, and that's why I chose to illustrate chapter one with a photo of sun and shadows.
If you ask what language the Creator speaks, the best answer is this: God's first language is full-spectrum light, clear water, deep sky, red squirrel, blue whale, gray parrot, green lizard, golden aspen, orange mango, yellow warbler, laughing child, rolling river, serene forest, churching storm, spinning planet.
3. What is the most beautiful place you have ever seen? What was so special about it?
From the edge of the mountain where I lived, I could watch the sun come up over the Smoky Mountains fifty miles or so to the east. Even better though, was to sit there while the sun set behind me and I could watch the shadow of my mountain start to stretch out in front of me. The shadow moved over the foothills until there was no more light in the valley. It was beautiful to watch darkness expanding below me.
5. This week, choose one facet of creation that you love — birds, trees, weather, soil, water, light, children, sex, aging, sleep. Observe it, think about it, learn about it every chance you can, with this question in mind: if that element of creation were your only Bible, what would it tell you about God?
I'm not quite sure what to do with my choice — aging. What does it tell me about God? Okay, I came up with a couple of things. First, that God doesn't let us live forever, or maybe that God doesn't MAKE us live forever. Why is that good? Because we'd get stuck in a rut and never try new things, figuring we could always do it later. Second, if we all lived forever, the earth would soon be full with no room for "new" people. Imagine a world with no babies, no newness, no room for things to change. That doesn't sound good to me.
1. What one thought or idea from today's lesson especially intrigued, provoked, disturbed, challenged, encouraged, warmed, warned, helped, or surprised you?
The reminder of the awe and wonder of the creation was especially meaningful to me.
As I watch the zest and joy of my 22 month old grandson as he discovers and relishes our creation offers, I realize that I too often become so absorbed in the troubles of the world that I forget to notice the awesomeness of our world.
Yay, Shirley! You have the book now! Donna, Evelyn, Betty, and I met yesterday to discuss chapter six, which I need to post here on Book Buddies today. We may have a fifth person joining our face-to-face discussion next time.
Shirley,
You make such a good point. We dwell so much on what is wrong in the world that we forget to count our blessings and enjoy the beauty of creation. Thank you for the reminder.
Thank you, Donna, for the compliment. I often feel that my observations are rather trivial and not as well stated as I would like. Your compliment gives me encouragement.
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