When I’m tempted to doubt God’s existence, all I have to do is go outdoors to set my thinking straight. Our pastor’s monthly newsletter column served as a reminder this past week that I’ve been spending WAY too many hours glued to my computer screen. Time to pay a visit to our church’s rose garden, she said. 

The rose garden is one of my favorite places. Tucked in among the roses is a plaque quoting Martin Luther, who seemed to share my perception about God being immanent in all of creation.

The roses are expertly and lovingly tended by two men in our congregation, who created the garden in memory of wives gone much too soon. A wonderful tribute!

With gorgeous fall weather approaching, I’ve also decided it’s time to start going on walks again. An amazing bike trail within a couple blocks of our house means there’s no excuse to stay inside on 70-degree days. Trees line both sides of the trail, and a creek runs alongside, making it almost possible to forget I’m in town.

I also have access to a park just a few more blocks from my house. One of the most attractive features is a carillon (below right), which provides background music while visitors walk or ride their bikes.

This park has an amazing number of paths where I can stroll, meditate and feast my eyes on a huge variety of flowers, shrubs, decorative grasses and native plants of all kinds.

 I like to think of the numerous flower beds and native plant displays as God’s eye candy.

Of course, no park is complete without the critters. Park visitors constantly feed bread crumbs to the ducks and geese, which means some are tame enough to let me snap close-up photos and one even walked right up to my camera while I was photographing him.

What I know for sure is that I must tear myself away from my computer and TV screens and spend more time outside this fall!

Spring took its sweet time coming this year!

Where I live, we had our last snowfall on April 16. My poor jonquils in the front yard were freezing. (See photo below, center, taken a mere three weeks ago.)

Br-r-r-r-r-r-r!!!!!

But now my flowers are making up for lost time. As I said in an earlier blog entry, I guess God was teaching me patience.

Thawed and blooming

Br-r-r-r-r-r

The trees in our backyard are in bloom.

Redbud tree

Pear tree

Black cherry bush

As are the tulips and irises.

The creeping phlox, rhododendrons and other early-spring bloomers are going to town.

Usually my spring flowers bloom in small batches: first the snowdrops and crocuses, then the jonquils, then the redbuds and pear trees, then the tulips and so on. This year, they are pretty much all blooming at once. The whole yard, front and back, is ablaze in color.

Even my favorite volunteers have come out to play.

So happy Spring, everyone! Finally …

I had really hoped by now I would be spending time in my garden and flower beds, but as you can see, I would get a bit chilly when taking a break in my backyard.

Since God seems intent on teaching me patience this spring, I decided to venture outside with a camera this morning instead.

After all, the snow was pretty. In fact, the camera didn’t even begin to capture the beauty. 

And (to paraphrase Matthew 6:28) consider the jonquils in front of my house, God seemed to be saying. Most years, they would have bloomed in March and would be long gone by now. 

But this year they are experts in the art of patience!