While I Am Unaware

This afternoon I went for a bike ride without a destination. I stumbled upon a patch of wooded area that had a stream and small waterfall running through it, so I parked my bike, hopped a couple boulders, and camped out on a rock in the middle of the stream. I was amazed at how tranquil the scene was before me. There, in the middle of Cleveland Heights was an oasis of nature with only the sound of running water and the wrestling of young autumn leaves falling to the ground. I paid no attention to time. The sunlight glittered off the water weaving its course downstream. I admired a fallen piece of foliage - bright red and orange, as if photosynthesis had captured the image of a campfire and framed it in the shape of a maple leaf. The leaves still hanging were a vibrant green - a canopy from the contrasting yellows and blues of the sun and sky above.

People travel the world over to find beauty in nature, but overlook their own backyards. Sure, I have been amazed at the splendor of many majestic scenes while traveling, but often, I find that some of the most beautiful and peaceful and awe-inspiring scenes are in the most unlikely of places. Creation is everywhere, in the large and small, in the extravagant and the mundane. This means that praise is to be had everywhere too, in all our circumstances, in all our activities, and in all our destinations. Praise is a habit (see David Crowder's book Praise Habit).

Lately I have been reminded of the lyrics to a song that go like this:

You dance over me, while I am unaware...
Lord I'm amazed by you.

Whether we realize it or not, the opportunity for praise is all around us. Whether we acknowledge it or not, God dances and sings over us (Zephaniah 3:17). If we look for it, we'll be amazed.