The Meaning of Discovery
The meaning of the word discovery took shape in my heart last Sunday when I heard that Discovery is seeing with new eyes. At 80 years of age, life can be ‘same old, same old’. Yet, it isn’t for me. Life has its plateaus when I catch my breath and seek a new mountain to scale. New thoughts, at least for me, show me insights about life and the people about me.
Discovery is a word children know well as they see, taste, hear everything in their world with new eyes. They are curious about everything about them. I was often amazed at how quickly our oldest son could take apart a toy…to see just how it worked. Other parents had toys that their children played with by the hour – always the toys were in pristine condition. And yet the toys in our house were usually in pieces. Little did I know how this was a natural progression of curiosity and discovery.
After the recent visits from our four children, I began to see the many faces of compassion in action in their lives. I discovered the depth of our children’s faith in God as they encounter so many economic and health bumps in their path through this life. Their struggles become the cloth of my prayer life as God lays so many needs and victories in their lives and their children and their children’s children on our hearts.
I often think about Grandpa Adam or Grandpa Abraham, and their joy in their grandchildren and beyond. Did they pray for their children’s children’s children? Did they have the sweet joy of seeing generation after generation of new babies that bring promises beyond measure and understanding?
Other thoughts I have concern those who have forsaken God, and become enemies of God here on earth. Those who deny Christ, deny God and infest our lives with evil. I have discovered that hatred breeds death and love provides life. There are none so blind as those who cannot see beyond their own needs and wants.
For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. Matthew 13:15
The word, bored, often appears on Facebook from young teens and preteens. Dorothy Parker quipped –
The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity.
I have an insatiable curiosity…that usually begins…..I wonder…… I wonder if I could write a song, a poem, a story….I wonder if I could paint a picture….I wonder how I can teach this child to play the piano….I wonder how we learn….I wonder how my great grandparents lived…. I wonder how they dealt with hurts of life. I wonder….leads to many avenues of learning about God’s creation.
One October day, as I drove down the street in Rogers, NW Arkansas, I stopped the car and drank in the fall
colors of the trees. “God, how do you do that?” That was the day I realized how God loves beauty – the kind we can see – the colors and the variety of all creation. I discovered, too, my frailty in not being able to paint His Creation and fully grasp the shapes and the colors He uses. The painter’s palette is not equipped for such beauty.
I wonder about God. I continue to learn what it is to live for Him. I remember clearly when I was 8 years old, and it was Easter season. Our minister, Emory F. Gasaway, preached about heaven and hell and choosing. I knew what I chose, and went down the aisle to accept Jesus Christ. When I rose from the baptism waters, I still remember that glorious feeling of peace and knew I had made the right choice. When our children were born, and grew to accountability, I remember the joy of seeing our children making the choice to belong to Jesus Christ.
Last Saturday, I witnessed a wedding. The scripture read, again gave me a time for wonder, for new discovery…from Colossians 3:12 – 14….I turned each word over in my mind. Will I have enough days in my life to learn more fully how understand God’s desire for my life: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise
The city of our God, the holy place
The joy of the whole earth
Great is the Lord in whom we have the victory
He aids us against the enemy
We bow down on our kneesAnd Lord, we want to lift Your name on high
And Lord, we want to thank You
For the works You’ve done in our lives
And Lord, we trust in Your unfailing love
For You alone are God eternal
Throughout earth and heaven above.
Steve McEwan wrote these words that gives me great joy! Great is the Lord
I especially love the quote from Dorothy Parker and the beautiful picture of the trees!
OH Em….such a wonderful piece and what pictures! Can't imagine how beautiful heaven will be.