If you’re looking for me in the summertime, you’re likely to find me standing under a floppy sunhat, weeding, picking, or just wandering around in the garden. The work of the garden is not measured by time but by task. There is no standard of perfection (at least not in my garden!). The job is done when I run out of bends.
Because the garden is my happy place, I imagine time and work in eternity will be measured in much the same way. When arms and legs accomplish what the heart and mind have conceived, the clock will tick tock its tyranny no more.
Prayer and work, work and prayer, will be seamless in God’s forever garden. All that will matter is the work of the garden, the work our hearts and hands were made for.
So, the garden has become my favorite place in all the world. I think my good husband would claim anyplace within sight and sound of the ocean as his favorite—with bonus points if there’s a lighthouse nearby. One of my sons lives to climb mountains here in Maine, and he is happiest when his feet are on the trails leading up Mt. Katahdin.
When arms and legs accomplish what the heart and mind have conceived, the clock will tick tock its tyranny no more. Prayer and work, work and prayer, will be seamless in God’s forever garden
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Abigail’s favorite place in all the world is the spot her family visits on the first Saturday of every month. Abigail and the Waterfall is her story of exploration and discovery as she and her family hike to her special place: the lush landscape of an Appalachian waterfall. Illustrator Michael Corsini’s endearing drawings draw children (and their parents!) into Sandra L. Richter’s engaging account of family togetherness in God’s good Earth.
Creatures in their natural habitat are labeled and often described, and the message of creation care comes through without detracting from the narrative arc—the focus on Abigail’s pure delight in the splashing pools, the laughing forest, the misty air, the darting fish, and, of course, the cookies and chips her parents have thoughtfully included with their cheese sandwiches.
The believer’s right response to creation is gratitude and worship, so parents will appreciate the notes from the author at the end of the book, which serve as a practical guide for drawing families into “God’s great plan for his planet.” A family’s special place can be a quiet corner of a local park, a pollinator’s garden of native plants in the backyard, or a secluded waterfall like Abigail’s. The most important feature is regular visits accompanied by awe and delight.
“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein” (Psalm 24:1). In our sterile, climate-controlled lives, it’s easy to forget about the gift of God’s world and everything in it. Abigail’s joyful response to natural beauty calls for an answering response of delight—and a commitment to join her in taking care of our beautiful home.
Abigail and the Waterfall is a story of exploration and discovery. Illustrator Michael Corsini’s endearing drawings draw children into Sandra L. Richter’s engaging account of family togetherness in God’s good Earth.@IvpKids
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I think my favorite place would also be by the ocean; though a waterfall or babbling brook will do in a pinch! I just love the sound of water and being out in nature.
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Yes, let’s be outside as much as we can in these fleeting days of summer!
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I’ve got to go with your husband’s favorite. Give me the ocean in Maine, with its rocky outcrops, tide pools, beach glass, and fall storms. I always loved standing on the rocks near Cape Elizabeth’s Two Lights to watch storm winds break over those rocks! The wind in the pines in the mountains here is pretty good place, too! The children’s book sounds like a good one for kids!
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I’m definitely happy to accompany him to his favorite place! We have so many great options!
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This book sounds delightful! My favorite place is wherever I can see God’s beauty. At times, it is the lake where we vacation, other times it is simply wherever I am.
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New England gives us so many great choices for experiencing the beauty of God’s creation.
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Ah, maybe if I wear a floppy hat like you do my gardens will be a bit happier. Right now, I’m just longing for a good day of rain so I won’t need to drag the hose all around the place.
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I’m with you—and our skies grew promisingly dark this afternoon, but failed to produce any drops! This happens every year, right about the time my cucumbers should be flourishing…
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Walking along the waterfront is my happy place but I do love waterfalls Michele.
Blessings, Jennifer
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Nothing quite as restful as the sound of water!
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Interesting question. I think my favorite place is wherever I’m having a close time with the Lord and/or good friends and family.
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Anyplace can be a favorite when we have the right people!
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I love outside, but since ticks and alpha-gal – I have to be vigilant – and that takes away from the peace of it. My kitchen, which is open to the family room – I think that is my happy place, when I’m cooking alone, when the boys or their girls come through the girl and pull up a stool at the counter. . . A good porch comes in second, though – for sitting long and talking much, for quiet time, to hear the birds, look for the rabbits, watch the butterflies,. Raspberry bushes, cherry tomatoes, and butterfly bushes grow around my porch since the stuffy shrubs died in a freeze a few years ago.
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The raspberries, tomatoes, and butterflies sound like a much better surrounding, and I think my kitchen would land high on my list as well.
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My favoirte spot in the whole world is Arrowhead Lake. It is so calming to be there and just sit in God’s presence in nature.
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It sounds just about PERFECT!
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