God in Nature

I took this photo a few weeks ago for the Bluebird Monitoring Program at Hidden Lake Gardens. When I was at Hidden Lake Gardens last night the box was empty. The birds have fledged and left the nest. I was told that bluebirds will make fewer nests from now on this summer. The boxes will be too hot in the August sun for the Bluebird’s taste. So with the lack of birds in the boxes I simply enjoyed the sights and sounds of the Gardens. I listened to a common yellowthroat in the arboretum. I sat and stared at the Big Bluestem prairie overlooking the pond. Two Great Blue Heron slowly glided through the sky overhead. Mallards flushed. A fawn stood and watched me carefully. The woods were thick, dark and mysterious. A tree frog squeaked out his love song. Oh how I love to just sit and soak it all in. I am thankful and forever grateful for the army of staff and volunteers who love and care for the Gardens. Bluebird monitor and photographer, Jaime Stoner showed me the blue bird monitoring book. It is filled with notes and cryptic symbols. The birds are cared for and counted by an army of volunteers. The Big Bluestem prairie just didn’t pop up out of nowhere. It was planned, planted, monitored, worked on and loved by many with religious fervor. That’s why I don’t believe that it’s just a sanctuary for nature. I also think it’s a sanctuary for the soul. It is the church that God made…not man. If you believe that God created this world then it is your responsibility to take care of it. Just as God isn’t for Sundays alone. Nature isn’t just for Hidden Lake Gardens. Build your own sanctuary at home. Plant a tree. Grow a garden. Spread the word. God is in nature. If you don’t own property, then volunteer. The Bluebirds will thank you for it…and so will I.