Harder Family

Harder Family

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Sweet Summer Memories

Nehemiah 9:6 "You are the Lord, You alone. You have made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them; and You preserve all of them; and the host of heaven worships you."

Psalm 19:1 "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims His handiwork."

I love nature. I have enjoyed studying birds with the girls, especially the cooper hawks that have been nesting in our tree. I love being in nature. Taking walks, hiking mountains, sitting by streams, enjoying flowers...I could go on. In 2013, we took a trip out west to visit family. That was an amazing trip! One of my favorite places we visited was Glacier National Park. The beauty and majesty that was on display there just screamed Psalm 19:1 (above). Being away from all the city lights of Chicago, you are able to see the beautiful night sky as well. To see all the stars light up the dark sky was amazing! Being out in nature, alone and away from the business of life, you can focus on what is important in life. I guess my favorite thing about nature is it reminds me of what an amazing God we serve and worship. He created all of this and He has an amazing plan. Who am I to question anything when I see on display in nature the works of His hands? 

Boat ride on Saint Mary Lake

Hiking to Saint Mary Falls

Hike to Hidden Lake


Psalm 8:1-4 comes to my mind: "O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth! You have set Your glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babies and infants, You have established strength because of Your foes, to still the enemy and the avenger. When I look at your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have set in place, what is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You care for him?"

I just love this verse, especially when you are out in nature. It helps put life and every "problem" in perspective. I highly recommend watching "Created Cosmos". It is a documentary on space. When you see how puny earth is in the whole universe, it is amazing to think that God cares so intimately for us. It reminds me of Isaiah 40:12 "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance?" If God can measure in just a span (A span is a Biblical unit of measurement equal to 8.75 inches-a span is determined by the measure of a stretched hand, from fingertip to fingertip) the entire universe that we haven't even been able to study completely, what do we have to worry about? Our lives are in His hands and He cares for us deeply. This is why I love nature....it is a reminder of the amazing God who loves me, has chosen me, saved me, and is coming back one day for me.

Wayne visits the doctor today at Northwestern. We are going to be talking about his next round of chemo and doing a checkup just to make sure that he is doing okay. We'll also discuss his medicine levels and other fun medical topics. Wayne's next chemo round starts July 10th. Please pray that this round goes a little smoother and that his body handles the treatment better.

Here are some pictures of the girls enjoying our weekly trip to the farmer's market. Another piece of God's creation - fruit and vegetables!! The girls are always up early on Wednesdays...they love the farmer's market. We usually buy our fruit, vegetables and bagels. We then head to the park, eat our bagels and play at the park for awhile. It is a great way to enjoy the weather, God's creation...and wear them out.





















1 comment:

  1. Your girls are growing up so fast. I bet they love going to the farmers market and just spending time with you guys. Still praying for God's hand to be on your family and for healing if that is God's plan. Love you guys.

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