God's Microscope

My oldest son, John, has been out of school for two weeks now, and today is Justin's graduation from 8th grade. One more week and it's summer vacation for everyone!!!!

I thought a camping reflection would fit the summer season...

Sitting around the campfire, watching the bright orange embers give way to blue, green, yellow and red flames can hypnotize me. The warmth that the fire produces draws me into a trance. Listening to the quiet voices around me share scary campfire stories brings me gratitude for my family members who have the gift of storytelling. The wide-eyed children huddle in closer to the fire in an effort to allay their fears.

As I hold my overtired and fearful daughter Mary on my lap, I lean back in my chair and look to the sky. What I see there is even more beautiful than the hypnotic fire.


The trees that surround our campsite create a circle silhouette in the dark night sky. In the middle of the circle of tree branches, the dark sky glimmers with millions of stars shining so brightly that it is almost heartbreaking. I feel as if I am sitting under a microscope and God is peering down from the sky, through the trees to watch my family. The stars are the specks of pride in his eyes for all of his creation with whom he is so madly in love. God is so generous to share these natural gifts with his lowly, human creatures. How blessed we are to receive his gifts, and how happy he is to see our gratitude.