A FALLEN WILDFLOWER

My dad wasn’t a religious man but he did have his religion. Hunting and fishing were equally important to him and preference was totally dependent on what time of year it was. Dad passed away in 1997 and I think for me, as with many I suppose, I have grown even closer to him in the time since. I’m ever so grateful that I had a dad that fostered in me a love for the outdoors. My pathway to that love was hunting and fishing and that eventually gave way to what is now my spiritual pathway…nature.

I’ve postponed supper to pen my thoughts this late afternoon. Roast beef with potatoes and carrots have been simmering in a Dutch oven in the fire pit for a couple of hours now and sits with heat waves emanating from it while I jot my thoughts down. It smells great…the onion and garlic dancing with the beef-you get the point.

Today is Sunday September 12, 2010 and the day began much like any other when Kristi and I are camping. When we miss church, we still have devotional time and today was no exception. What started out a 2-hour hike became a 4-hour one with diversions and back-tracking. I don’t often like to take the “well-beaten-path” when I hike. You see the “hunter” in me knows that the best way to see wildlife is to walk their pathway-not one created by man. So that’s what I did. The path (a deer-run) was so narrow that in a couple of days I should see serious poison ivy on my legs. Along my hike I came upon several deer just as expected and they were beautiful. The trail became too narrow and thick for me to go any further so I doubled-back. It’s amazing sometimes how things have a different perspective when you look at it from a different vantage point.

Ambling my way back from where I came from presented me with what I believe was the sole purpose for my walk this morning. Up ahead the trail was thickly lined with wildflowers that were approximately 5-feet high. One long-stem daisy-looking flower however had fallen and was lying across the trail; I found that odd I didn’t see it when I came through the other direction. I stopped and looked at it and the picture you see above is that flower. What I noticed is that the flowers were facing upward toward the sun; fallen and attention turned upward. How profound that even a fallen wildflower knows to surrender and seek healing from its life-giver. God always sends me home with something from my pathway and today was no exception.

I’m a firm believer that if a man desires to be in a true synchronous relationship with God; if he sets out expecting real communication with Him-he can. With heart, mind and body in the right place where you cannot be distracted you will hear His voice and I really believe He can give wisdom by way of a rock if you are open enough to hear.

In the years since dad’s death, a lot has changed about me. For one I don’t hunt much anymore but I do still fish from time to time. I wish dad could see me now. I wish he was here to see where a love for fishing and the outdoors has led me.