I have always enjoyed going for a walk, especially early in the morning when the air is still and the land is relatively quiet and calm. Now that I finally live in the country, this is even more true for me.
These days my morning walks serve a dual purpose for this is a workout. I begin in the woods where footing isn’t always great, there are big tree roots in the path and some holes that are often obscured by fallen leaves. In the woods I am warming up, stepping carefully and enjoying myself in a time where it’s just me and God. Eventually, the pathway leads to normal roads where I kick it up several notches and get my heart rate up into a cardio workout that I keep up until I get back home where I see what Mr. Fitbit has to say about my efforts.
Without a doubt, that first part is the part that keeps me doing this most every day.
From my front door, it takes me roughly 90 seconds to reach this spot where I can leave everyone behind for a while. I took these photos on the one day I brought my iphone along with me, December 16, 2020. It was a tad chilly on that morning, just after sunup; I’d say probably upper 40’s F. As I began walking down this path into the woods all I could hear was the slight rustling of leaves overhead, the birds singing in the trees and cattle mooing in the distance. Then the crowing of a rooster in a nearby farm… and far off a train sounding it’s warning as it approached a grade crossing.
Suddenly in the brush, the sound of an animal which doesn’t want to meet me. It could be a squirrel or a rabbit; maybe a mouse. One thing I know, on this December morning, the reptiles aren’t moving very fast, if they’re even awake.
Now the quiet returns and it’s just me and God; how lucky I am to be in the midst of His marvelous Creation early this morning.
Off to one side as I move along, I approach a meadow; it could be almost anywhere, but if you notice the little palm in the bottom corner, I guess that narrows the choices down a bit. As I continue past the meadow, I notice a chill little breeze that is moving across the open ground where the vegetation thins out on that side.
I keep walking with God, side-by-side…
Eventually, I’m near the little lake where the alligators live; they won’t be coming out to play this morning. If this were summertime, I wouldn’t be strolling by here at feeding time.
I’ve been told that the ones in this water aren’t very big and will run away from a human, and that normally alligators are a bit on the lazy side. Frankly, I don’t really want to find out for myself. I’ve seen them in a Zoo, and if I’m honest, they creep me out… Yuk!
Funny, I always seem to pick up my pace in this stretch, strictly for enhanced cardio purposes, you understand.
A few minutes later I come to this stand of bamboo; this stuff must be 25 or 30 feet high. A slight breeze comes along as I walk through here and causes the bamboo to rustle and make a curious song as the poles tap each other almost like those bamboo wind chimes at the exotic import shops…
Back I go into the woods, where photos are hard to take; the sun isn’t high enough to get much light in here yet.. and then there’s a little break in the trees.
What a great sight as the early morning sun catches those leaves. Maybe I should have brought my real camera instead of my phone, for this photo doesn’t come close to doing the view justice.
I have to be honest with you: On these morning walks, I’m reminded each day how very lucky I am to be able to do this, to stroll though a bit of God’s glorious Creation, just me and God, alone together in His Creation talking things over, getting ready for a new day. Thank you, Lord.
Shortly before I made it back to was passes for civilization around here, I accidentally made a discovery. I always wondered how people take selfies, and on this morning, I hit the wrong button on my phone and found out, so it’s only appropriate that I sign off now with my first, and obviously, last ever selfie…
Believe me when I tell you that I’ve made it a point to forget which little button does this, and I can assure you, this won’t happen again! 😊
Life Project Blog 
How fortunate you are to be able to do that. Thanks for sharing with us.
Blessings for a stunning day in paradise.
How precious are the feet of those children who love and walk with Jesus! The bamboo is delightful too.
One of the benefits of living in the country… being able to walk in the woods and commune with God. Hard to do in the city, but not impossible.
No, not at all impossible, but is tends to be louder.
morning walks are wonderful
Yes they are!
😄 nice selfie. 👍
🙂
Shirtless selfie at 40 degrees?!
I loved the photos and your description of an outdoor walk with God. I never feel closer to Him than when I’m out in his creation.
God Bless.
I certainly can relate. We live outside the city on 1+ acres that are wooded. I’d like to walk through them now, but they are surrounded by 3-4 feet of snow and no path,. But I do enjoy watching the black squirrels scurry around to their stash of acorns.
The quietness of early morning has always been my favorite
After 2 months of being unable to visit the beach due to Covid restrictions, the ban has now been lifted and my early morning walk (well, not so early) was paddling in crystal clear water watching an enormous jellyfish (yuck – the equivalent of alligators perhaps) and a lively shoal of tiny fish in the shallows. A long flock of cormorants flew in almost straight lines just above the water across the lagoon. Paradise on earth. Wonderful that God is as near to us here in the southern hemisphere as He is to you in the northern. I love the variety of His creation!
A wonderful word picture- thank you!
It’s the details I enjoy as much: tiny buds, a blade of grass hiding in a crack of concrete, a splash of colour here, a rustle of something there, seagulls screeching above when there are storms at sea, wood pigeons heaving themselves aloft to glide back to earth again … all this and more within ten minutes of our front door as our aging dog and go for the morning dog-plod! The best one when we were freezing? A frosted spider-web in a small bush! WOW!!
As for pressing the wrong button? On your camera – I like that you “Kept your hat on” – if that hasn’t travelled the Atlantic, check out “The Full Monty” 🙂 🙂 🙂
It made it’s way across the Atlantic just fine…
Although I can’t really see the small details you described, I know what you mean. For me it’s the little sounds, and the subtle changes in temperature in different places; the kinds of things that I might not notice later in the day when I’m more distracted than early in the morning…
“later in the day … ” – same here. After that tranquillity it is computers and grandchildren and spreadsheet and work. Yet when I don’t get too distracted with my schedule, God O’Clock keeps on happening even then (sometimes especially then).
You’ve got that right!
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Is it any wonder why God placed Adam and Eve in a garden, rather than in an urban-jungle? He intended for them to experience His creation as He created it, not as we have destroyed and reshaped it.
It’s hard to argue with that 🙂