Ilove doing our training walks/runs at the river. The mornings are glorious. It is quiet on our road. Most of the way is shaded early in the morning. Most mornings there will be deer, squirrels, various turtles, the eagles, an occasional red fox, and wildflowers. I don’t enjoy the snake sightings. (Just being real here.) 

I guess most folks would think that’s a normal thing and I guess it could be. The fact is though, it’s not a common thing that happens every day. So I always count these wildlife sightings as God gifts. 

The wildflowers are beautiful. Some so tiny you must stop to see, others so large they are like billboards waiting to be read. And even the kudzu. I’m sorry, I know how very invasive it is. However, as we move past the middle of summer, it begins to bloom. The flowers are a dark lilac. Not really lavender and not a deep purple. The large kudzu leaves can make it difficult to see, but you smell them. They have the loveliest scent. On an early morning walk the fragrance hits you with the most pleasantness. 

Those kudzu flowers resemble wisteria a little in that they are longer with small flowers on the woody stem. The August and September walks are so precious enjoying these flowers.

And I want to point out again…this is KUDZU. The hated villain that seems to overtake a property in days. Some declare they can”see” it growing. No one wants kudzu on their property. And I don’t think many folks would see it as a God-gift.

Years ago I saw a news piece on kudzu. There was talk that it could be cultivated and fed to cattle. I remember thinking that was an awful chance to take. Planting kudzu on your property? Not my land. Never saw anything come of that. But I digress.

My point is that we just don’t recognize Abba God. The gift of seeing the sunset. Early mornings when all the earth awakens to the new day. Shade on a long walk. Fresh water when we are faint. Food when we are hungry. The beauty and diversity of His Creation. And yes, even a lovely flower with lucious fragrance on a horrible, invasive vine.

Maybe you got a late start this morning and because you were late, you weren’t at the stop sign when a large truck overturned, Or you decided to stay home with your family instead of going out with friends. They all got food poisoning at the restaurant they ate at. Or you changed your mind about where to go to university. You met your spouse at this university.  Or you obeyed the urge to call/visit that family member and shortly thereafter they moved to Glory.

None of these things are ”chance”. They are gifts of an ordinary life given to us by a good and loving God. The leading, urgings of that voice, His voice inside. All these things are our Abba God showing up.

We just need to look up…and recognize Him.