The Narrow Path

An ancient path long the nearby Wheeler Trail.

Just like an early morning walk around downtown can speak amazing things if you’re paying attention, so can an afternoon walk on a favorite nearby trail. You think you know that trail like the back of your hand, until the late afternoon sun filtering through the trees creates a wonder demanding pause.

When my kids were little, they’d say a prayer every night that ended “and in the morning light I wake, help me the path of love to take.” I still say that part just about every night before dozing off. It’s an ancient, well-worn path, and it takes focus to navigate it every day, but it is always the good and right path.

The bible says that Jesus did a lot of walking, and that one of the last things He said while on earth was that people would know we are His followers not by our smarts, political leanings, or even all our good deeds but...

"...Everyone will know that you are My disciples,
if you love one another.”
(John 13:35)

An uncompromising love, as demonstrated a few verses earlier by the shocking washing of the disciples' feet, marked by countercultural things like serving, humility, forgiveness and grace.

What a world that would be! And that walk in the woods and coming upon a narrow path was a reminder that, like with a lot of challenges in life, it starts with just one person going for it.

And that is why I still like my kids’ bedtime prayer.

Remarkable

A hometown view that never gets old.

Besides being nearly 40 degrees cooler and a ton less humid, the shocking crispness of today’s before-sunrise air triggered flashbacks of walks across campus to an 8 a.m. class in September. There is plenty of summer left, but it was a good vibration nonetheless because just being able to breathe deeply this morning made it, well… 

And then there was this never-gets-old scene across from what will always be known as Derby’s that was, well…

And as the sun began to creep its way over the hills, fleeting clouds turned pink then tangerine-ish then lilac, then suddenly stopped their stage performance, and it was all, well…

And just when I was fumbling for the right word, I turned to Centertown and there it was in a storefront sign: Remarkable. “Worthy of being noticed, uncommon, extraordinary.” Kind of leaves you wanting for more than that until you discover that remarkable has more than 70 powerful synonyms, like amazing and incredible.

King David knew the feeling of remarkable well. He once wrote:

“The heavens declare the glory of God, and the skies announce what His hands have made. Day after day they tell the story; night after night they tell it again.”
(Psalm 19:1-2)

David spent a lot of his life outdoors and “saw” many remarkable things that many may have taken for granted.

Duly noted.

And he would have loved it here…especially this morning.

Still Waters

Launching out before sunrise at Cunningham Pond.

"Where morning dawns and evening fades, You call forth songs of joy." (Psalm 65:8)

If you “put in” at Cunningham before the sun comes up on a Sunday morning, you can forget for a moment that a usually noisy state highway is right nearby. Nothing but the honk of geese doing a fly-over and bullfrogs in the shore weeds to break the stillness. Not a soul in sight—check that…thought it was a bird splashing, but there’s this one guy out in the middle of the pond quietly doing laps.

The cool, late summer mist over the warm water seems to announce the arrival of the sun finally peeking over Pack Monadnock. On morning’s like this, you can’t help but see and think clearly. Any anxious thoughts disappear. You’re especially aware and grateful for the start of a new day, leaving yesterday and the week behind. And all within you is filled with quiet "songs of joy."

And here, on a morning like this, a familiar Psalm takes on a life of its own:

"He leads me beside quiet waters; He restores my soul.”

(Psalm 23:2-3)

Amen to that…What a blessing to have such a refuge so close to town and home.

And as those good medicine labels say, and the Lord might heartily agree, “take as often as needed.”

School of Life

An iconic hometown building with a story to tell.

When it’s 75 before sunrise and the air is saturated with humidity, all of life can seem gray, moist and dull. Even the brightest flowers in front of one our town’s most iconic buildings become blah pastels. So, why post a picture? Because before it was a brewery and an American Legion hall and a place of gathering for veterans of the Civil War, it was a school in the days before public education.

Teaching our children well has always been a priority here. The town history commented, “The schools of Peterborough have given to the world a long succession of boys and girls who have become splendid men and women.” Growing up here, I can attest to that. All very cool and interesting, but as I walked away, I remembered what I had read awhile earlier from my daily dose of Proverbs—they were words of instruction for the school of life. Timeless (and much-needed) lessons like...

“How much better to get wisdom than gold, to choose understanding rather than silver.” (Proverbs 16:16), and “A wise man’s heart guides his mouth, and his lips promote instruction.” (Proverbs 16:23). And especially...

“The human heart plans the way, but the Lord directs the steps.” (Proverbs 16:9)

It was good to remember that no matter what the camera lens may have said, there is nothing gray in those wonderful words of life, no matter what your age.

I again started this morning’s walk asking God to show me something beautiful or that He was seeing. I confessed to thinking, “nah, there’s not much out there today,” but sensed a response of, “If you really want to see what I see, even on a gray day, you’ll find it.” Well, amen to that.

Now to go and (try to) live “splendid”-ly well in the school of life. What the world needs now…

The Ocean Speaks Well

Along the Maine coast yesterday, the sun was working hard to git ‘ er done while the low tide surf seemed to be replying, “slow down, you move too fast.”

We love the sun. But sometimes, it’s a really good idea to pay attention to the ocean, too.

Solomon was a pretty wise fellow:

“Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under Heaven.” (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

Exhale...

Abundance

The flower boxes of Main Street love the rain. Selah.

It’s another rainy morning in New Hampshire, and the temptation is huge to complain. “Enough already!” Until I see scenes like this while walking downtown. Lots of rain, yes, but look at the abundance here, and in our rapidly growing veggie gardens. And don’t forget how barren and naked everything feels in winter. The psalmist had it down right: 

“God, You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use to bring forth food from the earth, and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.” (Psalm 104:4-5)

Every day, even the rainy kind, “is a day to be thankful,” says author Ralph Marston. “Life's abundance has no limit, and gratitude is what keeps that abundance flowing. In every circumstance there is something for which to be thankful. Even when there seems to be nothing else, there is hope.”

That’s really good, but perhaps without realizing he was following the Master voice, Mark Twain takes it a good step further: “If you want love and abundance in your life, give it away.” 

Amen to that. Let it rain…

"Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, drive out demons. Freely you received, freely give." (Matthew 10:8)

Before Sunrise

Main Street in the 5:30 a.m. stillness.

The almanac says sunrise here was at 5:10 a.m. But down in the village, it’s almost an hour later before the sun peers over the hill. It’s this in-between time that can be priceless and worth getting up for, no matter where you call home. Because except for a jogger and an occasional vehicle likely in search of coffee, the calm and stillness can be more refreshing than last night’s sleep. You see things you don’t see in the heat of the day. You feel the blanketing fog of God and His creation embracing and painting the town before disappearing until another time.

Each step can become an unconscious prayer, when you get a relatable sense of what the psalmist was talking about:

“Cause me to hear Your loving-kindness in the morning, for on You I lean, and in You I trust. Cause me to know the way I should walk, for I lift up my inner self to You.” (Psalm 143:8) 

These before-sunrise walks also have a way of awakening purpose for living, or as the great theologian J.I. Packer has put it, “If you’re trying to do something worthwhile, you will find that a great deal of what you’re doing will prove to be fun.” Amen to that.

It’s going to be a steamy day, but while you were snoozing, know that it’s already gotten off to a beautiful start. Just look….