Despite living and working surrounded in nature, my mind can easily be caught in the chaos of modern life, it’s demands and hours spent behind a computer or phone screen. How often do we allow ourselves to be grounded, literally barefoot with our toes touching the soil and face staring at the sun, sky and trees in God’s wonder?
In The Wisdom of the Native Americans by Kent Nerburn, they believe our whole Earth, as it is God’s creation, is our temple and we should respect it. Our God needs no lesser cathedral than the beautiful and wondrous nature He created for us to live and honor Him in. As a tender to His earth and creatures created in His image, I must remind myself of this even more. While our world is ever complexing, remaining grounded to sustain the land and animals for the nourishment of our lives and future generations is more crucial than ever before.
I encourage you to ground yourself in nature and its gift to you. It bears light and is a temple of the One who created it. I leave you with a poem by my Great Aunt Delena and words to reflect upon. May you write your own and reflect upon the living surroundings given to you.
Templeton’s Creek
By Delena R. Ford Whitis
July 20, 1975
I stood today upon a ramp and
gazed into what once we called
Temleton’s Creek.
The Creek once glimmered peace –
fully beneath the trees. Beside it
ran a path with vines and flowers.
As children we spent many hours
picking flowers, and within the water
we waded, splashed, and played, enjoying
nature’s charms, God’s blessings rich.
But progresses now has come and pushed
the trees aside and made our creek
into a lake. Now boats race and water
runs where the trees and flowers grew.
I could not recognize our little
creek today; so in my heart I locked
in my memories, and then with tear
dimmed eyes I slowly turned and walked
away.
Farm Girl With Curls 
