Monday, September 29, 2008

S'mores Declare the Glory of God

I'm not much of an outdoorsman. Don't get me wrong - I enjoy being outside, I'm just not the type that spends time thinking about the next time I'll go fishing, hunting, or camping. I'm much more likely to marvel at the beautifully rendered landscapes in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion than I am to spend time sleeping in the real versions of said landscapes.

However, on Friday I went camping in Carrolton, KY with four friends, and found the experience to be fantastic. I've always found it easy to marvel at God's glory in creation, but I've usually mentally tied that glory to "big" experiences - the immense beauty of the ocean, the rush of hiking at Mt. Rainier, etc. Yet after spending time sleeping by a dried creekbed in the woods next to a cow pasture, I saw God's glory made plain in what we take for granted as - well, plain. As we sat, cooking brats over an open fire, listening to nothing but birds and bugs and the crackle of the flames, feeling a perfectly temperate breeze pass by, I couldn't help but feel a sense of appreciation for the wonder of God's creation. I learned firsthand that not only are the heavens declaring the glory of God, but unspectacular rural Kentucky is too. I won't be trading in my Xbox 360 for a fishing pole anytime soon (God's glory is also made manifest by the immense creativity he has given to humanity) - but I will be much more likely to power down everything and spend a night under the stars again very soon.

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