Pastor Kenneth Chafin tells of being beautiful east Texas one lovely April Sunday. Wild flowers, azaleas, redbud and dogwood trees had put on their glorious Spring colors. Yet Dr. Chafin had not taken time to fully absorb the spectacular scene before him.

     Basically, he was tired from the previous week which had been stressful. On this first day of a new week, he was mentally preparing himself to preach in a large church and thinking of his schedule to follow.

     He and his wife decided to walk to the church along with their 4 year old daughter, Nancy.

     Nancy's short little legs made if difficult for her to keep pace with her parents. Furthermore, her attention was captured by the blooming flowers and trees all about her. Her eyes came to focus on one spectacular dogwood tree in particular. She stopped to study its lovely blossoms. Then she decided the tree needed to be addressed. "Hi, tree!" she said with a friendly smile. Dr. Chafin said that word of acknowledgment to the tree made him ashamed of himself. "I had been in such a hurry to get to church," he later wrote, "that I had missed my Creator's sermon growing by the sidewalk."

     Perhaps this Spring we need to not only take time "to smell the roses" but to thank God often for the loveliness of creation. And, if no one is around, we might say "Hi' to a tree or two.

     ~Have A Blessed Spring, Sean