Returning to Subiaco - Sunday Afternoon

Subiaco Abbey
Originally uploaded by Jerod McPherson.

I can hardly believe that I am back at Subiaco Abbey. It’s only been a year but to me it seems as if we’ve circled the globe since then. Getting ready to leave was especially hard this year. It seems that as I began to get ready, all I could think of was the things that I would be missing while I was gone. All the fun I wouldn’t be having with Jen and the kids, all the time that a week represents in the lives of your loved ones. Even all the Football games I wouldn’t be seeing, all the TV and movies I wouldn’t be seeing and all the work that I wouldn’t be getting done were on my mind.

The ride up to Subiaco from Mena was nothing short of spectacular. The sun was shining, the wind was calm, and the temperature was right around 70. The leaves have exploded into the brightest colors that I have ever seen. Riding a motorcycle through the hills on a perfect afternoon like this was an experience all to itself. As I cruised along, I saw reds so bright it seemed that they were glowing, yellows and oranges the colors of squashes and pumpkins. Large-moss covered craggy rocks appeared to be upstaged by the brilliant display of color on the hills beside them. I inhaled in really slowly and tried to freeze-frame that picture in my mind. The curvy ‘pig trails’ were fun and the scenery was stunning.

It was interesting for me when I began to realize that only a week ago, the leaves on the trees didn’t look like they did today. I also know that in a month from now they won’t look the same either. It was almost as if God had splashed the hillsides just for me. At least that is what it felt like. When you ride through the back roads and you pass very few cars you begin to get a feel for just how huge God’s creation is, and just how small you are. You understand that you are only a spec in the great universe that God set up. And yet, you feel, rather, you know, in your heart, that somehow you are the focus of the entirety of it all in His eyes. You get a feeling that the eyes and the hands, even the kiss of God are on you as you fly through his creation. I imagined the trees all decked out in their finest colors watching and waving for the moment that I passed by them. Then I pictured them conversing with each other, “There he goes…something is definitely happening in that one…may he have a blessed week.”

I struggle to maintain my humility in life and to always keep my importance in proper perspective before Christ, but for a moment today, I felt that the Father was acting as if he was attracted to me. For what reason I don’t fully understand. But I kind of like the fact that there seems to be a sparkle in the eyes of the Father for me his son. A willingness to have the trees even ‘dress to the nines’ to bring me joy.