"The beginning of praise is to wonder."

In 1981, an Anglican monk said those words to a handful of us who were on a three-day retreat with him, and I've thought about those words many times in the years since. It is out of a sense of wonder that we come to praise God. And there are reasons for wonderment all around us, every day. What is spiritually deadening is taking for granted all the blessings that fill each day.

This morning, it was birds that caused my wonderment. I have my exercise bike pointed so I can look out of one of our windows -- across our front yard and the street and towards an undeveloped lot across the street. The lot is actually a jumble of fallen trees, after the storms we've had over the past several years. That means it's a magnet for woodpeckers! This morning, as I pedaled, there was a red bellied woodpecker, as well as a couple of blue jays. The blue jays were being aggressive, as they always are, and were giving the woodpecker a hard time as he flitted from tree to tree, searching out insects. After a bit, the woodpecker wondered why he was putting up with the harrassment, and he left the blue jays to their activities. He flew closer to me, and spent time checking out the trees in our front yard.

What an everyday occurrence -- and what a source of wonder! How amazing that these birds were created with such brilliant colors! What a wonder that the different species of birds were created to support themselves in so many different ways, ways that end up sustaining our environment! Praise God!

I've been taking it easy this morning, after my first day back yesterday. When I got home at the end of the day, I was tired and glad I had no evening obligation. One thing I've thought about: I am very good about carving out sabbath time, time for rest. But when I'm "on the job," I don't know how to do anything other than to go full speed! I'll have to learn how to pour a cup of coffee and just sit to rest for a few minutes. Another thing I noticed: dinner really perked me up! As you know, I can't eat for three hours before taking my medication, and then for another two hours afterwards. That makes me think, now that I'm returning to activity, it's key for me to eat a big lunch to tide me over until I can eat dinner!

I'll go in this afternoon to see off the group from St. Stephen that's going to the Synod's Winter Celebration youth event. Robin is taking 16 kids!! Wow. A huge regret of my illness is that I've missed both the Lost and Found event and, now, Winter Cel. I'll look forward to next year!