Gulf Fritillary Butterfly on Purple Porterweed, The Parsonage Butterfly Garden, June 13, 2013

"Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Matthew 11:28-30

Jesus had to remind people that a sabbath's rest is a gift from God. Amazingly, people had made keeping the sabbath a burden that few could bear, rather than receiving God's gift with joy. Religious folks of different sorts like to argue if Saturday is the sabbath or Sunday, or whenever. How much better we would all be to cease such nonsense and enjoy the gift woven into the garment of creation that calls us to regularly cease from our labors and embrace that which gives us the most joy to the glory of God. These photos that I share, they come from my own sabbath walks that restore my soul. What restores yours?

Tall Cypress Natural Area, Coral Springs, FL June 11, 2013

If I speak in the tongues of mortals and of angels, but do not have love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
1 Corinthians 13:1

As Christians, our "native tongue" is love, so why do we resort to so many other languages that fail to provide us with the words we need to be compassionate, forgiving, and selfless?

Tall Cypress Natural Area, Coral Springs, FL June 11, 2013

Arise, shine; for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you
Isaiah 60:1

Each day has its own challenges and struggles, as we await in bed in between sleeping and waking these dance about, daring us to rise and face them. But we are children of the light, of the day, of God, and need not fear what may come this day, for we dwell in the glory of God and walk in the light of promise, of grace, which nothing this day can take from us. 

Tall Cypress Natural Area, Coral Springs, FL June 11, 2013

For the Son of Man came to seek out and to save the lost.
Luke 19:10

Thank God for that - because I do not remember a single day, where I did not in ways small and great, feel lost and lacking except for a grace that both surprises and claims me, despite myself. Perhaps this is not unique to me. Perhaps there is a word of grace that you might need to hear today as well. 

Lilies, Long Key Nature Preserve, Davie Florida, June 2013


And can any of you by worrying add a single hour to your span of life? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not clothed like one of these. Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear?' For it is the Gentiles who strive for all these things; and indeed your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:27, 28b, 31-33

Instead of bringing our worries before God, we often let our worries shut God out, robbing us of the very help we both need and desire when we need it most. Our worries need not paralyze us, nor define our life, should they?

Rare Atala Butterfly caterpillars together on a Florida Coontie at Long Key Nature Preserve, Davie, FL June 2013.

So we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another.
Romans 12:5

What is to be gained by resisting the temptation of an individualistic faith that eschews community? Of living in the tension between one's own spirituality and the biblical call to be in relationship with other Christians?

Unknown Butterfly, Parsonage Butterfly Garden, June 8, 2013

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
that I know very well.
Psalm 139:14

We look at ourselves and fall prey to the temptation to dislike some aspect of what we see, wishing we had so and so's whatever (Matthew McConaughey's abs, for example). Despite entire industries whose success is built by trying to convince us that we are one purchase away from perfection (or perhaps several purchases), what would mean if we embrace how wonderfully God has made us?