May has been wet and windy and in 2021 we have been about a month behind the seasonal cycle compared to last year. We have experienced April showers in May. It has been slightly cold.
Despite this I can never get tired of the hope of May. Now that we are finally seeing Spring arrive I am back in my position of awe. I am excited by the bright deep intense colours as fresh chlorophyll floods new leaves and shines luminous saturated lime green from every tree branch. There has been the joy of the woodland carpet of bluebells. Wading through a sea of lilac. Standing under blue skies and looking up at the delight of apple and wild cherry blossom. It is always so much more than I remembered and so much more visually delightful.
My prayer is that I will never lose my wonder -
That I would always be amazed and take time to intentionally soak myself in Spring. To remain childlike with my attentions. If I ever find myself not enjoying the details of May then life has become too busy. If I ever stop noticing the rich colours and layered textures and take it all for granted, then my heart has become hardened.
When I was a child I would see all the tiny creatures. My eyes would delight in the details of one blade of grass. I would bring home scraps of blossom and wilting daisies to create my own jam jar of flowers. If 5 year old me would stop and hold a ladybird in her hand, may 50 year old me have the same joy over such petite perfection. If 5 year old me would make daisy chains & hold crushed buttercups in sweaty palms, may 50 year old me take the same delight in creation.
Having a childlike heart has been listed as a key principal in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus informed his followers to allow the children to come to him because " THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN BELONGS TO SUCH AS THESE."
Why is this ? Simply put - Because children believe. BELIEF is the key to entering in. What we believe is what we entertain in our mind. Our beliefs dictate the way we move and think and work out our lives.
If I believe that money is in charge of my life? Then I will lay my life down for it and tie myself to it.
If I believe that my life depends on me and how well I perform - then I will rely completely on myself for the outcome. I will punish myself when I fail and push myself as hard as I can to succeed.
If I believe that actually God is in charge of my life? It is His hand behind the scenes ordering my steps. Then I will honour Him and welcome Him into my daily living.
' Many plans are in a mans mind but it is the Lord's purpose for him that will stand. ' Proverbs 19:21
In the same way, how I view this planet will be influenced by my beliefs. Do I see the artist behind the art canvas? When I look at creation am I amazed or uninterested? Do I honour the majesty placed in humanity and our earth or are we just a bunch of over ambitious apes roaming a planet that is result of a random act of collision?
In the last decade our eyes have finally begun to adjust to the huge scale of damage we have done to the earth. Centuries of industrial large scale farming and harvesting have stripped our seas and soils of their riches. Complex ecosystems have been reduced to mono crops. The oceans have been pillaged.
In May in England we are a couple of years into the concept of 'NO MOW MAY.' Allowing the grass to grow knee deep feeds a richer web of insect and rodent life & helps our bee & butterfly populations to flourish.
I read recently that if bees were paid a minimum wage, a jar of honey would cost a huge amount, somewhere around £142, 000! This is because each bee will only make one twelfth of a teaspoon of honey in it's lifetime. How incredible is that? A child gets that. You can tell them a story about a bee named Bumble and they will listen.
In the same way - MAY I never lose my wonder ...
"The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display His craftsmanship. Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make Him known. They speak without sound or word; their voice is never heard. Yet their message has gone out throughout the earth, and their words to all the world." Psalm 19:1 - 4
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