Happy Mother’s Day, my Friends!

I loved visiting Mom in the springtime. As I drove down her street her immaculate Dutch Colonial home encircled with the beauty of spring drew me like a magnet.

The deep pink and white Azalea bushes lining her front walkway led to the front porch. They were the first things my eyes would see. Mom always had a chair placed invitingly on the front porch where we could visit  and enjoy the beauty of her neighborhood with its deciduous tree-lined street.

As I drove in the large Rhododendron bushes with their lovely white blooms hugging her driveway communicated, I am home and Mom is here.

Mom was a strong woman, a hard worker, a leader, and a lover of beauty. She gave time and effort, even into her 90’s, to make sure the flowering bushes and trees were well cared for.

It was her mature Magnolia tree gracing her back yard that took my breath away.

It’s beauty grew with each passing spring day. The Magnolia tree with its delicate pink and white blossoms was a gift of our good creator for us to enjoy. We often sat on Mom’s screened in back porch and visited on those warm days enjoying each other, enjoying the beauty of the Magnolia tree, and enjoying a glass of Mom’s iced coffee. Who needs Starbucks?

Jack King on his blog, KnoxPriest, called it “Reading the Book of Creation”. For sure I need my Bible to connect with God. I’m also learning that when I connect with him by first enjoying his creation, he always leads me to where he wants to connect in his word. (This week its been Psalm 73.)

For me listen is a better verb than read. As I gaze at creation and listen for God’s voice, invariably we connect as he leads me to the place he wants me to read.

I’m learning that sitting and gazing at the beauty of God’s creation quiets my heart and is a necessary first step for listening, listening for the voice of God.

“Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good,
and delight yourselves in rich food.
Incline your ear to me, and come to me;
hear, that your Soul may live;”
Isaiah 55:2, 3

Colorado beauty is different from northern NJ beauty where Mom lived. Our majestic (still snow covered) mountains, the deep green of the pines and other evergreens, the delicate green leaves of the Aspens in the summer, and their gold leaves in the fall capture my heart as well.

This Aspen tree at the edge of our deck is filled with small buds getting ready to pop. It will be a few weeks yet. Look closely in the distance, the white is the snow on top of Pike’s Peak.

Listening to God by first enjoying his creation has redefined my morning devotions. I even have a new name for it, Sue’s S-C Plan, or My Sabbath-Canvas. My S-C Plan has three S-C sub-points that lead me to stewardship and cultivating maturity.

I’ve created a feminine S-C bookmark and I’d love to send you one. Just put your address in the comments or email me, sue@suetell.com. Happy Mother’s Day to you!

Thank you Mom for caring about and caring for beauty. Happy Mother’s Day in heaven.

“Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.”
Psalm 96:6

Copyright: Sue Tell, April 2021

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