“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.”  Nehemiah 9:6

When God brought Tom and me together, He knew how we would compliment on another. Tom was the analytical, detail person, which served him well as an All-American football player and financial advisor.

I am a big-picture, creative, leave-the-details-to-someone-else personality.

Rarely did we have fights or arguments. Just as rarely did we go grocery shopping together! I learned to leave Tom at the meat counter so his detail-oriented mind could examine the marbling of a steak or analyze which was the better deal on a can of beans by dividing the number of ounces to the penny.  While he was doing that, I was gathering things from the next three aisles into the grocery cart.

When we built our home, Tom drew the plans to give to the architect. After the basement was dug and the actual building began, he turned it over to me. He said, “I can’t make a living and take care of all the day to day details of this project at the same time.”  I still joke today that if it were up to him to have chosen the stain color of the hardwood floors or which kind of door knobs to use, the house still wouldn’t be done today, 22 years later!

God not only gave us complimentary talents, He used us to show each other the dangers and blessings of each viewpoint.

When we would travel, no matter where we were, on the last night Tom would go to the dock or the beach or look out the window and take what he called “a mental snapshot.” He was painting a picture in his mind of all the details of the place.

On the other hand, I was usually crying because the time had flown by too quickly. Too often I hadn’t been present in the moment and missed so much.

On a walk last week with my puppy, Ellie, God showed me that I need to quiet my mind and notice life around me.

God is the ultimate big-picture creator who’s made not only 100 billion galaxies but also the delicate little purple and white violets poking through the leftover fallen oak leaves.

He created over 25,000 types of orchids yet when I look closely at the ones blooming in my sunroom, I see the intricate patterns and colors that even the most talented human artist couldn’t paint.

He’s dressed the trees in our yard and the whole neighborhood in delicate pink and white spring finery. He’s scented the air outside my kitchen window with my favorite spring scent of lilacs. He’s given the birds songs to sing according to their own kind.

God is the perfect balance of details and wide-angle lens; of love and discipline, of grace and truth.

He calls us to see His awesome vastness and His caring small touches.

The most incredible thing is that this unfathomable Spirit who spoke the entire universe into being knows every hair on my head, every breath I’ve taken since I was born up until my last earthly breath and most amazing of all—loves me as if I were the only thing He ever created.

Not only me, but every person who has ever lived or ever will live on this earth.  He invites us to be awed by His immensity and humbled by His very presence with us each and every step of our life.

He created all of this for His glory and for our enjoyment while we are here on His earth.  And He wants us to experience Him and everything He created in relationship with Him.

Dear Heavenly Father-You are so awesome! My mind cannot comprehend the billions of galaxies you spoke into being as well as your powerful love for everyone of us.  Thank you for being the creator of the universe and our personal God at the same time. Forgive me for too often missing the details of Your creation or getting too caught up in the minutia to realize Your great power and love. Help me in everything-large and small-to always glorify You.  In Jesus name I pray.  Amen