Hello everyone! As today is Earth Day and this week was John Muir’s birthday, I thought it would be a fitting tribute to include some of my favorite quotes of his in honor of this day. Muir is one of my heroes – and a kindred spirit – as he championed the importance of preserving our wild spaces. He viewed wilderness as a kind of church, where in both places God meets with man and reveals His glory.
Nature is ever at work building and pulling down, creating and destroying, keeping everything whirling and flowing, allowing no rest but in rhythmical motion, chasing everything in endless song out of one beautiful form into another.
Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days, days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us God.
Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves
Keep close to Nature’s heart… and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean…
This grand show is eternal. It is always sunrise somewhere; the dew is never dried all at once; a shower is forever falling; vapor is ever rising. Eternal sunrise, eternal dawn and gloaming, on sea and continents and islands, each in its turn, as the round earth rolls.
This last quote is my favorite. The miracles of nature awe us and remind us of an existence far greater than our own lifespan. Spending time outdoors, especially in forests, renews my mind and refreshes my perspective. It calms my heart and makes me more open to seeing God at work in my life when I can see His hand so clearly in creation. God often uses metaphors of His creation to remind us of His faithfulness – like the turning of seasons, dawn emerging from dark, and harvest following sowing. As we can set our days on the rhythms of nature, so we can set our hearts and souls on God’s promises and His faithfulness. He uses examples of His care for the birds of the air and the flowers of the field to reinforce His love for us. The beauty we see in nature pulls us to the beauty and glory of God. I’ve been relishing daily walks as an opportunity to experience God at work as the world wakens up to spring. The flowers and birdsong and sunshine fill this corner of the world with beauty. I hope wherever you are this week that you find a bit of time to head outside and nourish your soul with the ordinary miracles all around you.
Blessings to you,
Sarah
anordinarymiracleday 
Such lovely sentiments–both yours and John Muir’s. And so perfect for Earth Day. I’ve been enjoying walking daily and watching as spring unfurls. Stay safe, well, and positive, my friend!