It's Carnival time again and this week the word is Community. I love this topic and there was at least ten different directions I've thought of going in with my post - it was hard to settle on one.
On Sunday, we had an exceptionally nice fall day - sunny with temps in the low 70's. Thankfully the planets in my world aligned and I had time to myself from noon to 6PM. My oldest son attends West Chester University and I was meeting him for dinner, so I headed to Brandywine Creek State Park in Wilmington, DE a few miles from West Chester.
This was a new park for me to explore on my bike. I like trees and water, so I was happy to see the bike trail surrounded by trees, the path covered in leaves and the Brandywine Creek flowing swiftly beside it. The majority of the leaves had fallen off the trees already, but a few striking ones remained.
As I saw leaves all around me and rode over others already on the ground, I was struck by something. This community of leaves had many things in common, but they also had differences. Obviously they were a variety of sizes, shapes and colors. Along with that, what struck me was how they lived the stages of their lives at different paces in different ways - much like people.
Some things were the same - none of the trees were budding or growing new leaves this fall, that happens in the spring, just like people all start life as a baby and grow to be old (except in movies) But the stages of turning color and letting go of the branches varied and that is why there was so much beauty surrounding me - because of the
diversity in this community.
Thank you God, I whispered as I biked. Thank you for the lesson about appreciating and celebrating diversity in whatever community of people I'm involved with - whether that community is a team, family, friends, church or others.
Have you found that diversity can bring beauty in a community you are involved with? If so, how?
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11 comments:
Great metaphor for community. Individually striking and intricate; collectively a great beauty. Good post.
So true, Janet. At our little church, many of us are the artsy, crazy type - musicians and artists. But we couldn't really thrive as a community if we didn't have the teachers, engineers, and the like. We're very different, but all have the love of Christ in common.
it amazes me at times how often God teaches us through nature ...
A well-chosen metaphor that produces a lovely post. You create a strong image of all the colors, shapes, sizes that we humans share with all that surrounds us: each one and each one different.
Diversity in community is what makes it unique. You just gave me a new word for community. And there is nothing more diversified than nature. Nature is for all and so is community. I loved the whole thin about nature, it's super the way you put it all together.
What a beautiful pic and great point. Diversity is so important. We can't continue to learn and grow if we are all exactly the same!
Thanks, Janet.
You are right! Thanks for this great post.
God knew that it would take many different people with unique gifts and backgrounds to accomplish His mission on earth. God is teaching me to appreciate the diversity of His body (this is not easy all the time!:)
What a great metaphor!
I love it!
A variety of gifts, given by the same Spirit ...making us one body.
This is one of the reasons I really like the carnival-so many different perspectives and Father can speak thru all of them!
Thanks!
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