Sunday, April 28, 2013

A Glimpse of Beauty

He was on his way home when a moment of happiness took him by surprise. Doug was always in search of a glimpse of beauty and on April 26, 2013 he added to his list of birds a rare rufous-capped warbler. The moment was made more beautiful because he was able to share it with his wife, Wendy.

"Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into the barns, and yet your heavenly Fathers feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?"(Matthew 6:26) Doug was a man who took time to look at the birds. To be a man who can glimpse rare beauty you have to slow your pace. Doug not only did this himself he taught others to look and see the birds. One of my fondest memories was seeing Doug and his son Justin early in the morning leaving our campsite. A father sharing with his son the wonder and beauty of nature.

Doug was on his way home when the view of the temporal was eclipsed by a view of the eternal. The beauty he had glimpsed in the morning was replaced by a full view of glory. He had marveled at what had been created in the morning but when evening came he was in the presence of the Creator. On April 26, 2013 Doug who had done just as Jesus said and looked at the birds was now looking at his heavenly Father.

The book of Ecclesiastes teaches that, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die.....He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart." There is a season to enjoy the transient beauty of a bird. There is also a season to gaze with unveiled eyes at the beauty of the creator.

Thank You Lord, for giving me the gift of friendship with men like Doug who teach me to slow my pace and look at the birds. I have seen in this man the beauty of his creator.

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