If possible, I go daily to walk where I can see and feel the “Nature of God.” Sometimes the world’s troubles, wars, advancing age, a sense of failure, politics, and knowledge I must cease thinking of taking far journeys across plains and broad rivers to the shining mountains creep into my thoughts.
Over the years I’ve gone west on 14 trips, the first two with Ronald Vandiver, who was full of knowledge and experiences of the great American West. In my small den is folders of narratives, photos and history of those travels plus the later trips, the last in 2017.
I said all this to say I find the “nature” of God everywhere!
Here at home, where I may likely remain with no far trips again, I walk by streams and in woodlands almost daily. This morning I went again to walk a woodland road where Dad once hunted and a few years ago I hunted smart old gobblers. There is a big bear I’ve seen twice and look for again. The thing with bears is they roam a lot and may be days or weeks before appearing on the same road. I met this one twice.
I walk this road and woodland trails where memories rise on every hand of bygone days when Dad fox hunted here and returning home from far lands I hunted turkeys and deer. The present and the past mingle in spots where autumn colors blaze in the sun’s rays, and sometimes I linger in a glade, feeling as though dear ones from the past are near.
A benefit for me is that I let present things and events stress me, but walks among God’s handiwork relieves the pressure and I think good thoughts. God does not want a person to stew and fret over life’s situations, but wants His children to trust Him and live one day at a time.
