Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a hugger. I love to give hugs. If you know me well and see me coming if you don’t want a hug you might want to run, because you’ll get one. It’s almost second nature to me. I love to receive them too. It puts a smile on my face. Many times, the person giving them doesn’t know I needed it at that time.
It was one of those days in which I was sat and looked out over a pond at a local park. Birds bobbed on the water, and a fountain bubbled, gurgled, and struggled to rise out of the water. It was a particular hard day; the tears began welled up.
“Daddy, just once I would love to feel your arm around me like a father does his child.”
Later when I described my day to a friend they said “Have you ever felt a warm breeze on your face? Or sat and listened to the birds chirping away or smelled your favorite flower? Have you enjoyed fellowship with others? These may seem like small things, but God’s hugs are in the small things, not always the big wonders.”
That reminded me of another park visit where I walked the boardwalk, worship music played in my ear. I climbed the tower sat down on the recycled bench pulled a pen and notebook out and closed my eyes. What happened next came as a surprise. A breeze picked up, birds chirped and the words which flowed in my ear became clearer. The world was disappeared around me like the movies when a character is deep in thought everything around them move in slow motion and blurry.
If anyone had come to the top of the tower, I wouldn’t have known it. There was peace, joy and the presence of God was felt without a doubt. I’ve learned to relish these times.
In another blog, I wrote that sometimes solitude moments with God are about being still and letting Him love on me. It’s being and listening and feeling using the senses to experience God’s love and His creative side, by being in His creation.
Lately though I have left the music behind and have taken my little word processor to the park to observe God’s creativity. Through it, I’ve seen illustrations of how to express myself to Him. He allows me to experience things that are new, like a huge duck flying not more than three feet away whose wings just made the loudest most awesome “whoosh” with every flap. It was incredible almost like a rhythm of a drum. The breeze rusted the leaves and ducks quacked and bird chirped even the annoying seagulls squawked musically. I heard God’s orchestra play just for me.
Have you ever scheduled time to just be still at the park or at the beach in the evening to watch a sunset? I would encourage you to just take in nature and allow God to wrap His arms around you.
“The Mighty One, God, the LORD speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets. From Zion, perfect in beauty God shines forth.”
Psalm 50:1-2
Solitude with the Father 