To Linger

by Anna Lee

"The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard; yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world."

                                   --Psalm 19:1-4

Our wonderfully wooded lot means that fall and winter bring a thick blanket of leaves to our yard. Though we enjoy the crunch of leaves under foot, on a mild winter afternoon my husband and I decided to attend to the raking. We worked our way quietly around the yard, pile after pile. I soon found myself fatigued and abandoned my task for the soft ground below. Stretching out on my back, I allowed my eyes to drift closed.

Somwhere between waking and sleeping I stumbled upon a deep, lingering rest. I heard the song of friendly birds flitting from bush to shrub. My husband's nearby rake prodded and pushed leaves, scraping and clinking, while the wind played its own game, lifting leaves skyward from carefully collected piles. As I took in the sounds floating over and around, I began to feel the deep dampness of the earth press agains my legs. Despite the layers of dry grass and leaves, the rich moisture of the soil made its way to my skin. I heard the cool whisper of life and remembered the intricacy of creation.

The same ground that my boots hurry over each day without every noticing daily proclaims God's great majesty, sings of the wonder of creation. I did not hear the ground's testimony because I was looking or listening. I only caught the passing word because I lingered. And in lingering, I was fortunate enough to hear--caught completely by surprise--creation pouring forth its speech, bearing witness to God's mighty works.

 

 

Anna Lee is a recent graduate of Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, TN. She is passionate about ministries that connect the needs of the community with the resources of the local church. She also loves reading, traveling, music, and spending time with her family. Anna has been part of the Weavings editorial staff since the summer of 2009. She lives with her husband in Knoxville, TN in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains.