Pausing to enjoy creation after the storm... rainwater, bugs, flora, and fungi

We had an incredible storm this afternoon in the Hixson, TN (Chattanooga) area.  Listening to the thunder and rain was therapeutic and beautiful.  Only later did I learn that the lightning hit a friend's home (not too much damage) and the grocery store where my husband works (I haven't heard the extent of the damage there, so there is likely/hopefully not extensive damage).

We haven't had this much rain in a while (at least since I've been in town).  And being out of town for two weeks of the month of July, it was the most rain I've seen at home in quite a while.

I decided to venture out into the yard after the rain ceased and the storm passed.  I wanted to see what I might find in the yard.

Part of my curiosity stems from Terry Hershey's The Power of Pause: Becoming More by Doing Less.  I read a chapter last week in the book entitled "The Wonder of a Child" and what struck me in that chapter was that a child sees beauty in so many things, that a child experiences awe and amazement at the simplest of things.  That strikes me because that is me.  The simplest thing can bring joy to me.

The chapter begins with this quote from Mike Yaconelli's Dangerous Wonder: "Children live in a world of dreams and imagination, a world of aliveness.... There is a voice of wonder and amazement inside all of us; but we grow to realize we can no longer hear it, and we live in silence.  It isn't that God stopped speaking; it is that our lives became louder." (page 23 of Hershey's book)

As I ventured out into the yard this afternoon, I wasn't sure what beauty I might see.  But I wandered around to see what things looked like after all the rain and with an open eye and mind to 'see what I could see'.

Here are some of the pictures from my wandering in wonder:

[Photos taken with Canon Power Shot A590IS]

The only downfall to my adventure outdoors were the mosquitoes.  They were out in abundance and I didn't spray prior to my expedition. 

Reading through the chapter in Hershey's book, there are words, phrases, and sentences that grab my attention.  I will share some of those with you.  I highly recommend the book.  You can find it here, on Terry Hershey's website.

Okay, that was a commercial break.... now back to the words, phrases, and sentences:

• "The child is arrested by, absorbed in, beauty.  Why? Because he has no restrictor plate in his soul." (p.23) 
• "awe precedes faith" (p.24)
• rested, savored (p.26)
• rest, stop, receive (p.26)
• "free to live this life" (p.26)
• beauty and resurrection (p.26)
• present, grateful (p.27)
• "gratitude is always a type of prayer" (p.27)
• sit, savor (p.27) 

Since you may not have the book in front of you, I invite you to sit and savor the quote by Mike Yaconelli above, the pictures from my wandering adventure after the storm, and the words, phrases, and sentences from Terry Hershey that caught my attention and touched me.

Does anything cause you to pause and wonder? 

I invite you to take your own exploration of wonder wandering to see what beauty captures your attention. 

Blessings on your journey,

Debra