What a pure treat awaits me …

Recently I read that the word mediate means to chew things over! Not too certain if I agree with this, yet regardless this is what the past few days I have been doing. 

I find myself in a rich environment that is beyond any words can explain to you all. Apart of me wishes to share it all, another part just wants to understand how there can be a contrast that is so extreme within society! I find myself looking around asking big questions about justice, inequality, fairness, motivation, humanity and along with all these possibly more essential in this moment I find myself asking the question where or who am I in relation to all this!! 

Take heart to know that I am so extremely blessed, The Lord has provided me not with answers however with loved ones to journey beside and also challenges to bring to light all that is deeply stirred within my heart!  

Today though, I escaped from society for an afternoon, left my head thinking at the gate of a forest and let myself be free in creation!! What a gift!

Today I was out running in the forest - okay its not a forest its a lake side - Lakesfield - about an hour walk from home. 

I am yet to see the lake! There is a large forest area around it and also lots of bike tracks. Today I went there to go for a run. (I took video above while there, there is no sound!)

What a pure treat awaited for me… 

I set out by looking at the map then concluded that my mind was not interested so just started to run and see where the wind took me. 

I set off down a hill listening to all the birds that were laughing, singing and sounding a little like the country side of Nz mixed with an Australian overtone trying to drain out the undertone. I was looking down at the ground taking in the wonder of the soil, with its rich orange tone thinking how beautiful it is, how the light jumps off the stones and sand dancing along the path. As I continued up a bit of the path I lifted my head to be greeted by a kangaroo in front of me. 

A kangaroo!!! I blinked twice, stopping about a meter from him. 

Have to admit, the thought if kangaroo's are friendly or not did cross my mind! However he looked at me, I looked at him, I smiled as he looked so cute, his big over sized hip bones, a long tail that could have been used as a jump rope, and a small head; all this covered in fur. Oh it was so cute!! 

Then he effortlessly jumped / hopped with incredible pace to the side of the path, as did I!!

 I jumped with a great fright followed by laughter been scared by an innocent kangaroo who has no interest in the intruder. 

Yet regardless I was in awe of this beautiful creature. 

Then I continued my run, saw a track that said 'walking trail' so cut in there and about a kilometer in I was surrounded by kangaroos. I couldn't believe it. I just stood there watching them eating, they looked at me and continued like I was one of them, nothing different!!

While I was standing in awe of my new found creature, I was taken by the trees. They look like they have seen better days, with some of them still wearing the effected of the forest fires that occurred in 2009! I guess these trees are no different to us! They come from a tiny little seed, little seed that when it has a foundation, some food source, can grow into a beautiful tree, be apart of a forest, apart of the environment only defined by its genetics to what type of tree it is. 

It lightens my heart to think that God assures us that we can be like a tree too! We can stand strong in our environment and bear luscious fruit. Even in our deepest despondency His Word restores us to green springy vegetation once again, offering shade to those we shelter, joy to those who watch us flower! 

All we can do is be "green" with verdant visibility; we can have a fresh face, a happy heart, a willing will! A relationship with Christ, holding catholic faith as my foundation, teaches me that all human lives are sacred and worthy of respect, care from the moment of their conception to their natural death. This in itself is a wonderful gift, a beauty that our actions will evoke divine delight with embracing this gift. 

There will always be questions, oh how there will be always questions yet this is part of growing!! The other day sister quoted someone else saying - live like the answers to your questions …. Yet once again scripture tells me the answer - and nature showed me today there is beauty everywhere, beauty that is forgiving, is kindness, is enlightening, that is Gods gift to us all to be embraced, treasured and speaks a direct language to the heart. How I have fallen in love with nature again!! 

“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season; whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” ~ Psalm 1:1-3