Stop and Smell the Roses

Contributed by Connie Burroughs

I have an apple tree in my backyard that is covered in beautiful pink blossoms right now and next to it is a lemon tree that’s little white blooms are so fragrant that I just have to stop and smell them. I love the beauty of nature.

I remember the first time I ever read Romans 1:20, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” It was very exciting for me to think about God revealing himself to us through the beauty, grandeur, and awesomeness of his creation. It became even more amazing to me as I began studying science with my children. The more we study about a subject the more impressed I am with God’s creativity. Our study of space confirmed what the psalmist expressed in Psalm 19:1. “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

It is our privilege as moms to train our children to recognize the wonder of creation. This is natural for me now, but it wasn’t always that way. I was raised to appreciate the beauty of nature, but pointing out that God created these things for our pleasure was not natural to me. I actually learned it from teaching Vacation Bible School before I had my children. The curriculum said to take a walk and to point out all of the things that God had made. At first it felt really awkward for me, but the more I practiced it the more it spoke to my heart, and became a part of me. I learned to always take the time to stop and smell the roses; taking time to admire the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures of God’s creation. As my children have grown up watching me respond to the beauty around us, it has become a part of who they are as well.

I was so touched one day when I called my son after he had moved away to college. He answered and said, “Oh mom, I was just thinking about you. The mountains are covered in snow!” I was so glad to know that when he saw snow covered mountains, he thought of me. After one of my daughter’s high school summer camps, she was excited to tell me all about the star-filled sky. One day recently, my oldest daughter said, “Mom, being outside just fills my soul!” And as my youngest son was collecting leaves for his biology leaf collection this fall, he brought a leaf to show me its deep red color. Our children learn to value what we value.

So my encouragement to you today is to use your senses to celebrate God’s creativity and love. Look at the mountains, clouds, stars, flying birds, hopping grasshoppers and sunsets. Listen to the frogs, crickets, singing birds, pouring rain, crunchy fall leaves, and crashing ocean waves. Smell the tree blossoms, and outside after a rain. Feel a fuzzy caterpillar, soft kitten, and sand on your toes. “Taste and see that the LORD is good.” Psalm 34:8 Stop and smell the roses.

Contributed by Connie Burroughs