Missed by Susan L.

  Already I miss the great outdoors. The fresh air, the aroma of pine forests, the feel of a needle carpet beneath my bare feet but mostly I miss looking out on the water.  For hours I did nothing but study the way the water moved, the way the light performed a ballet on its surface, how it changed under the wind's whimsical caress. I feasted on the mirror like reflections, filing them away for future paintings. Nothing mattered, nothing needed to be done, it was just me and the water.
  "Be still and know that I am God." Ps 46:10
  There's not enough of that in this busy, chore listed, run and never catch up world.
   I've been thinking about getting myself a portable easel and some better quality paints. Spending Sunday afternoons with paint and brush, being in the moment, would be like a mini vacation; a true day of rest. Even if brush never touches canvas, it's about being still and truly seeing what God has made, it's about setting aside the to-do's. Winter will give plenty of opportunity to paint in the warmth of the house. Memory and photographs will provide plenty of reference and will help fill the long dark hours.
  God looked at what He had created and saw that it was good. My own silent immersion in this world He created is a celebration of His wonders. It's a heart-speak gratitude offering. No words necessary.
  "Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!" Ps 103:22