Unique in All Creation

I know I have harped on this enough for the blog to begin to look like a diatribe...but there is simply something about springtime that throws a big gust of wind under my sails. I am listening to the birds outside my window even now, enjoying the rays of sunlight making the hardwoods in my foyer glow. Jesus is straight-up in all of this. He is in this day. His holiness, His perfection, His fascinating personality is in every little detail of creation. The most important creation He ever fashioned was US. You and me, and every single other human who ever pulled a shoe on to walk His beautiful earth. I have always loved the ways in which people's personalities and perspectives differ. I love asking them about their hobbies, their families, their lives. My interest in the human race makes going on vacation even richer, more rewarding. We usually go someplace other people like to go (enjoying yourself is the point). This means that I get to indulge in a favorite pasttime: people-watching. This is particularly fun in a place like the giant lodge at Old Faithful, where I found myself a few summers ago. There is something about seeing people relax and have fun. I loved hearing the excited buzz of visitors of all ages and nationalities discussing things they'd seen and were about to see. It sounded like a happy hum, with lots of laughter splashed in. I enjoyed the sight of families posing in group shots, everyone joking and playing around. I guess it reminded me of the fact that, though we are all so beautifully diverse, God created us all in His image, so that we are capable of appreciating his artistry, so starkly displayed by the legendary geyser and the surrounding Yellowstone, one of the most wildlife-diverse places on the earth. Gary and I love national parks, so my joy in a setting like the Old Faithful lodge is always compounded by the fact that we are in a wonderfully wholesome environment. I enjoy resting in those places of human outpost (and comfy chairs with snacks nearby) in the midst of the grandeur of God's creation,where there is a palpable excitement about the wonders of God's world. Back to the people-watching. When you hear the excited hum of a crowd in a place where people gather to have fun, enjoy the arts, nature or anything of worth (and yes, rollercoasters have worth), it underscores the fact that people are so beautifully complex, both emotionally and in our intellectual capacity to appreciate what God has done and is doing both in the natural world and in the world of man's invention (which is nothing more than a shadow, or reflection, of God's creativity). No, we are nowhere in the ballpark of His limitless brilliance as an inventor who plans to the infinite detail, orchestrating everything with perfection, His artistic ability, and His creative capacity, but we are made in His image, so we can have fun imagining what He was thinking or just looking at what He has done in the natural world or through the talents He has given to humans. We are unique in all creation in these capacities. The Bible makes it clear that He is always seeking to fellowship with us. That blesses me beyond belief. Here's a scripture passage to ponder: "The Lord looks from heaven; He sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks/On all the inhabitants of the earth; He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works." ( Psalm 23:13-15, NKJV). He is as interested in us as we are in Him! How precious this knowledge is!