Many of us can recall a time when we encountered the HOLY within nature . . . mountains, ocean, a grand river valley vista, a lush clearing in the woods. We recall these with fondness and hold them as treasures. We often even think of them as "gifts.

We are absolutely correct in all of this. Nature is indeed one of the gifts of God. All of creation reveals the grandeur, power, and goodness of God. Nature captures, engulfs, and even connects us with the Creator.

Sadly, these thoughts are but recollections. Too soon we fall back into the secular mind-set that so dominates us. We return to seeing things only in bits and pieces. The secular eye sees isolated images, not vistas. The secular ear hears sound bytes, not melodies.

Soon these sensory disconnections outside ourselves create personal and spiritual disconnections within (inside) us. We begin to see and even experience ourselves as outside of and above, even against, nature-outside of and distanced (above?) from nature's Creator. We may long for connection and wonder how we got disconnected. We need only touch again the natural elements of fire, earth, water, wind-and allow them to touch us and reconnect us to the HOLY.

Recall a time when you encountered the HOLY within nature.

Consider this reflection: While vacationing in the Great Smokey Mountains a couple of years ago, I was awed by their beauty. It's a wonderful area for camping, hiking, and just being. Yet one of the things I remember most is what a ranger at a visitors' center said: "Less than 25 percent of the hundreds of thousands who come here ever venture more than a few hundred yards from their car." Sad. What a world to miss! What art from the Creator's hand to ignore!