My friend, the late Sam Orr, served as pastor of Hardwick Baptist Church near Milledgeville, Georgia. His parents, Sam and Doris, were members of our Fayetteville congregation. One week, Sam wrote in his church newsletter column an article about marveling.
He penned: “The DOT recently resurfaced my part of Vinson Highway and they brought out some kind of machine to clear the edge of the road. It reminded me of how much I miss dirt roads. We used to wander the countryside on the old dirt roads that had huge washboards in them. The common name is ruts. About once a month after a good rain, the county would come around and scrape the road and clean out the ditches. We could hardly wait ‘til they got through so we could go walking in the fresh dirt. The only thing better was walking in a newly plowed field.
“My brothers and often some cousins took many a summertime journey down these dirt roads that were filled with wonder. We found wild apples that we called horse apples, persimmons, plums, blackberries, dewberries, old tires that could be rolled for miles and plenty of vegetation such as poison oak and thunder wood.
“I heard some folks talking once about something the old folks used to do on Sunday afternoons. They did something called marveling. They would go out sometimes alone, sometimes as couples or as entire families and walk the roads and fields looking for rocks, wildflowers, shells, four-leaf clovers and such. They would collect them and bring them home as treasures.
“One other place that I liked on a marveling trip was the railroad tracks. I do not know why but there is a mysterious attraction boys have in train tracks. The best thing I ever found while walking the rails was a little country church by the tracks in a small community known as ‘Welcome All.’ I went to that church as a child and discovered some special people praying and singing and sharing the scriptures in love and devotion to God.”
As Thanksgiving approaches, let’s hit the pause button on our hurried lives and take time to marvel. Marvel at God’s beautiful creation. Marvel at God’s rich mercy and amazing grace. Marvel at the gift of Jesus. Marvel that salvation is available to all who receive Jesus.
I marvel at the gift of laughter. Life gets too serious, and a hearty laugh is good for us. We need to laugh more.
I heard about a little boy who was standing at an escalator in the big department store, just watching the steps and the handrail as it went round and round. One concerned employee walked over and said, “Son, are you lost?”
He said, “No, ma’am,” and he never took his eyes off the handrail.
“You’re not lost? Then what are you doing?”
He said, “I’m just waiting for my gum to come back around.”
I marvel at the ways a child brings a smile and a laugh to my life.
I marvel at God’s bountiful provisions. Several years ago, I co-hosted a trip to Israel. We visited many meaningful biblical sites, but one of the most inspiring moments occurred on the bus ride back to Tel Aviv to catch our midnight flight home.
One member began singing, “Thank you, Lord, for Your Blessings on Me.” Search for the song and let the lyrics inspire you as you marvel over your many blessings.
Among my many blessings, this year I’m grateful for:
My wife and forty-four years of marriage
My beautiful family
Stepping into a new chapter of life labeled “retirement”
A wonderful trip to Alaska
God providing continued opportunities to preach and help churches
The joy of writing this column regularly and the papers that carry it
A car still running with over 314,000 miles on it
Tootsie rolls and York Peppermint Patties
My wife’s chocolate pie on special occasions
My Mom, still going at age 97
No more campaign ads bombarding us
Moments with special friends
Family time at the beach
Safe arrivals and texts that announce, “I’m here”
The Atlanta Braves and Georgia Bulldogs
The doctor’s report declaring, “All clear”
God’s hand of healing
As Thanksgiving approaches, why not take a moment to marvel?
[David L. Chancey, the Writing Pastor, lives in Fayetteville, Ga. He enjoys writing, preaching and spending time with family. He’s the author of “The Most Wonderful News You Will Hear: Proclaiming Glad Tidings at Christmas” and two other books. Contact him at davidlchancey@gmail.com.]
