Lessons from Nature, Volume 2 of 3
Published by David Y Bevington at Smashwords
Copyright 2010 by David Y Bevington
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We Often Need a Quiet Place
There is a glen deep in the wood
where we can hide away,
A simple, wooded quiet place
where we can pause and pray.
At times we need to be alone,
to step aside and rest,
Far from TV and telephone
to contemplate life’s best.
With all the turmoil we must face,
we find it on all sides;
we often need our quiet place,
a place where peace abides.
We need not really hide away
in some secluded wood,
But simply travel in our minds
to do our spirits good.
A Living Source of Life
See John 4:1-26
We passed a swamp the other day
as we hiked down a trail.
Its waters were a murky green,
and had an awful smell.
We passed a stream on down the way,
whose waters seemed to sing.
The source of that refreshing stream
was from a bubbling spring.
Think about a statement
that Jesus made one day
To one who thirsted for God’s love
in her own special way.
“Whoever drinks this water,”
she heard The Savior say,
“Shall never thirst, but have the source
that never will run dry.”
The Secret of the Redwood Tree
See James 1:12
The raging fire spent its flame
and left its awful blight;
the giant redwoods, smoldering,
an eerie, awesome sight.
The redwoods weathered every test,
and proudly held their place,
inspiring all to understand
the secret of their grace.
Throughout the years and centuries,
as fires took their toll,
they threatened to destroy the life
that lay within their soul.
Those who knew the redwoods
could easily recall
how new roots formed a skeleton
to keep them standing tall.
When troubles settle on our soul,
and weariness sets in,
it’s time to focus on the Lord
and put our hope in Him.
The secret of the redwood tree
is wisdom from above:
We stand the fiery tests that come
when rooted in God’s Love.
Youthful Memories
They carved their names upon the tree
for the whole world to view.
Their love was for eternity;
they knew that fact was true.
Well, things do change, and what they thought
was love would fade away.
Their names still grace that old beech tree
for all to see today.
The memories of youthful love
are etched within the soul,
And when maturity has come,
they still will bless your soul.
When you are old, you’ll look upon
names carved upon a tree,
And all you’ll have is memories.
That’s true of you and me.
Whiter than Snow
When I saw that junkyard,
my anger arose.
Junkyards are eyesores,
as everyone knows.
In early December,
the snow settled down,
And left its white carpet
all over the ground,
The place was transformed
by blankets of white.
It made what was dirty
a beautiful sight.
Think of the mess
our lives have been in,
And then of the manner
God cleansed us from sin.
The Mountain
There was a lovely painting
hanging on a wall.
The painter caught the colors
of winter meeting fall.
The snow upon the mountain,
the leaves hugging the trees,
Were glimpses of the beauty
the painter’s eye could see.
The lovely, snow-clad scenery,
the elk, the steel blue sky;
The artist caught each moment,
that no one can deny.
A Chinese Proverb
Our problems seem like mountains
as we traverse life’s way.
We try to move each mountain,
and want it moved today.
The way to move your mountain
is stone, by stone, by stone,
Until it has been moved away
as your resolve has shown.
If we can move our mountain
by faith and by resolve,
There are a host of problems
which most of us can solve.
The Source of Everlasting Life
Roosevelt Dam, Arizona
As one beholds the waterfall,
they sense its awesome flow.
They know its waters nourish life
and cause all things to grow.
Think of everlasting life
as like the waterfall,
A picture of the living God
who lets His blessings fall.
He occupies the waiting heart,
restores the weary soul.
The love of God is evident
when He is in control.
The One who made the Father known
was heard to cry one day,
“If you are thirsty, come to me.”
Your thirst will be allayed.
Free as a Bird
“Oh to be free, as free as a bird,”
this is a phrase most persons have heard.
When persons have mentioned this freedom to me,
I’ve wondered, what kind of birds did they see?
Some birds must consume their weight in a day.
that must take some effort, wouldn’t you say?
Take feeding, nest building, and other tasks too,
there isn’t mush freedom with so much to do.
Consider time spent in feeding the young,
and also egg sitting, which can’t be much fun.
Add danger, and travel, and what’s in between,
and tell me what freedom there is to be seen?
Real freedom is something that comes from the Lord.
The strength we receive is the Spirit’s reward.
Abiding in Christ brings God’s peace within,
and freedom describes the condition we’re in.