How Great Thou Art

Awesome God

/ Patsy Kuipers / 2 Comments

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also. The sea is his, for he made it, and his hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker!
Psalm 95:3-6

I recently spent several days vacationing in the Southwest. I flew into Albuquerque and out of Las Vegas. In between, I put over 1000 miles on a rental car, visiting sites that left me awestruck and constantly using words like incredible, majestic, and vast, and their synonyms in a feeble attempt to describe the wonders that unfolded before me.

As I traversed parts of New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Nevada with my family, observing one magnificent sight after another, several thoughts replayed:

  • The scale is totally different from what I’m used to in Georgia. Everything was massive and open. We could see for miles and felt dwarfed by rock formations, canyons, and deserts.
  • What must the first inhabitants have thought when they reached the edge of imposing topographical features like the Grand Canyon or the Mojave Desert? The same with the settlers who came after them. Did they have an “uh oh!” moment and think about turning back? And how about those who built the railways and roads? It took tremendous effort to get across the rugged terrain.
  • Plant life was less varied and sparser than at home, yet I marveled that anything could survive in such harsh conditions.

But one thought surpassed them all and provided recurring background lyrics for our journey: “How great Thou art, Lord! How great Thou art!” Though I often think that when working in my garden, surrounded by colorful flowers, lush greenery, busy bees, and beautiful butterflies, the grandeur of the sites we visited gave me a greater sense of God’s supremacy, omnipotence, and boundlessness. Like Job, I confessed, “Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.” (Job 40:4)

The more I’ve pondered the sights I was privileged to see, the more I realize that the answers to all my wonderings come back to God, the One who spoke this beautiful world into existence, who imparted wisdom to those created in His image so that we might problem solve, build, tend, and persevere, and who sustains even the tiniest plants in the harshest conditions.

Photographs can never do justice to the beautiful sights they represent. Still, I hope they, and the verses I’ve chosen to accompany them, will encourage you to magnify the Lord with me as we exalt His name together (Psalm 34:3).

Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable (Isaiah 40:28).

Behold, these are but the outskirts of his ways, and how small a whisper do we hear of him! But the thunder of his power who can understand (Job 26:14)?

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit (Psalm 145:7).

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him (Psalm 8:3-4)?

Can you fathom the mysteries of God? Can you probe the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than the heavens – what can you do? They are deeper than the depths of the grave – what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and wider than the sea (Job 11:7-9).

“Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance (Isaiah 40:12)?

I will extol you, my God and King,
and bless your name forever and ever.
Every day I will bless you
and praise your name forever and ever.
Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and his greatness is unsearchable.
One generation shall commend your works to another,
and shall declare your mighty acts.
On the glorious splendor of your majesty,
and on your wondrous works, I will meditate.
Psalm 145:1-5

Pollen Season 2025

/ Patsy Kuipers / 2 Comments

Dear Readers,

I wrote “Pollen Season” in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic as a reminder that God is not only sovereign, but He will also keep His promises to us. Thankfully, we’re not facing a pandemic these days, but we’re all facing concerns of varying magnitudes, so I decided to dust off my original post (pun intended 😉) and replace the photos accompanying the verses with ones I’ve taken recently. I hope you’ll enjoy this updated version.

Yellow Invasion

I first noticed the yellow dusting atop my trash can. Then it appeared on my dark blue CR-V. Soon, the deck was covered, as were my shoes after I strolled my property. What might the stealthy invader be? Pine pollen!

I usually grimace when I detect the initial signs of yellowness that descend on our area each spring, knowing what lies ahead. Depending on how much rainfall we get, the layer of pollen can become so thick tire tracks materialize on driveways and footprints on sidewalks. Some years, I watch incredulously as windblown clouds drift off pines, destined to coat everything in their path. Nothing is immune from the intruder.

Although I join the communal carping about everything being covered in yellow, seeing the first signs of the pollen’s return makes me smile because it reminds me that God is keeping the covenant promise He made to Noah, his offspring, and every living creature. “While earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)

In the years since COVID-19, the opening salvo reminds me of those challenging days and how God was with us through them, how He will be with us to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20).

Springtime Glories

The yellow intrusion also heralds the arrival of spring, that glorious season when all creation seems to shout “Hallelujah” to the King.

In the midst of whatever uncertainties we’re facing, spring returns, full of hope and visible reminders of God’s goodness. I’ll let photos, scripture passages, and hymn lyrics do the talking for the rest of this post – my offering of praise to the One who lovingly sustains us, my encouragement to you, my readers and fellow sojourners.

“Fairest Lord Jesus, Ruler of all nature, O Thou of God and man the Son; Thee will I cherish, Thee will I honor, Thou my soul’s glory, joy, and crown. Fair are the meadows, Fairer still the woodlands, Robed in the blooming garb of spring: Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, Who makes the woeful heart to sing.”[1]

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. (Matthew 6:28a-29)

“O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder Consider all the words They hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, Thy pow’r  throughout the universe displayed. When thro’ the woods and forest glades I wander And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze. Then sings my soul, my Saviour God, to Thee; How great Thou art, how great Thou art! Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to Thee: How great Thou art, how great Thou art!”[2]

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving . . . Let heaven and earth praise him, the seas and everything that moves in them. (Psalm 69:30, 34)

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. (Psalm 89:11)

“This is my Father’s world, And to my listening ears All nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas – His hands the wonders wrought. This is my Father’s world, The birds their carols raise, The morning light, the lily white, Declare their Maker’s praise. This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair; In the rustling grass I hear Him pass, He speaks to me everywhere.”[3]

For you, O Lord, have made me glad by your work; at the works of your hands I sing for joy. (Psalm 92:4)

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.  Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his;we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. (Psalm 100)

The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you. (Psalm 9:10)

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. (Psalm 57:1)

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever . . . for me it is good to be near God; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all your works. (Psalm 73:25-26; 28)

[1] “Fairest Lord Jesus”, anonymous German Hymn, stanzas 1 and 2.

[2] “How Great Thou Art”, stanzas 1 and 2 and chorus; Stuart K. Hine, 1953.

[3] “This is My Father’s World”, stanzas 1 and 2; Maltbie D. Babcock.

Summer Doldrums

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Though the fig tree should not blossom,
    nor fruit be on the vines,
the produce of the olive fail
    and the fields yield no food,
the flock be cut off from the fold
    and there be no herd in the stalls,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord;
    I will take joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18

I have so much to be thankful for, so I endeavor to count my blessings instead of being negative and complaining. But, as Mom used to say, I am human, and sometimes things get me down. This summer is one of those times. As long-time readers of my posts know, my garden is usually a source of great joy for me, a place of solace where I love to spend time with the Lord. However, after an incredibly long and beautiful spring, we’ve had a summer of extremes.

June was hot and dry, with above-average temperatures and rainfall way below average. Then July arrived, and we got twice the usual amount of rain, which perked up all the plants and trees languishing from the early summer heat and drought but produced a bumper crop of mosquitos and created unfavorable conditions to do much of anything outside since the soil was too wet to weed, dig, or even stand on. Now August is here and we’ve returned to sweltering heat and humidity, with no rain in the forecast for days.

What’s a gardener to do?! I had such high hopes of tackling several significant projects this summer, but alas, I’ve barely been able to keep up with essential maintenance.

And then there’s the deer. They’ve passed through in previous years, feasted on some of my medium-sized hostas, and nibbled on a few toad lilies and asters, but this year, they’ve decimated even my biggest hostas, left nary a bud on the toad lilies or asters, and sampled all sorts of other things.

Between the weather, munching, and mosquitos, I haven’t experienced the garden joy I’ve come to count on.

Yesterday afternoon, I was picking up branches, big and small, dislodged when a mighty windstorm blew through last week, thankful that none of the towering trees had fallen. I was moving fast, focused on my task, trying to outpace the mosquitos. I turned to head back to my debris pile with another armload of branches when a pop of color caught my eye. I stopped and gazed at the brilliant blossoms covering one of my Encore® azaleas. I’d been so intent on my mission that I’d missed them earlier.

Despite the swarming bloodsuckers, I decided to engage in one of my favorite pastimes, also mostly abandoned this summer, and stroll the property in search of other treasures I may have missed. I wasn’t disappointed. As I spied first one flower and then another, my spirits lifted, and the passage from Habbakuk came to my mind.

Even though I haven’t been able to do much in my yard the past couple of months, God has been sustaining the plants, birds, and pollinators, just like He always does. And, as my compassionate heavenly Father, He remembers I’m dust, vulnerable to the vicissitudes of life (Psalm 103:13-14). Thus, whether joyful or distressed, I can bring it all to Him, knowing that He who graciously provides for the flowers and birds cares immensely more for me (Matthew 6:25-34).  

I’ve lived in Georgia for over thirty years, plenty long enough to know that the summer heat will eventually give way to more moderate weather. Regardless of the season, I will keep my eyes open for the evidence of God’s love all around me, and with Habbakuk, I will rejoice in the Lord and take joy in the God of my salvation.

I hope these photos, a sample of the things I saw yesterday, will bring joy to your heart just as discovering the flowers themselves did to mine.

A Cavalcade of Color

/ Patsy Kuipers / Leave a comment

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Psalm 96:12 NIV

Dear readers, it’s been a while since I last let photos carry most of the message in one of my posts, but I’m about to remedy that. We’ve experienced a beautiful fall here in NW Georgia, full of copious sunshine and exceptional leaf color. After several arduous months that nearly sucked the life out of me, time spent strolling my property, neighborhood, and local gardens is renewing my spirit. As I behold the beauty all around me, I repeatedly exclaim, sometimes out loud, even though I’m alone, “Look at that tree! The color is gorgeous! Thank You, Lord!!”

Just as springtime arrives with a floriferous shout of praise, fall brings a final hallelujah before the trees and plants settle into their season of rest. For weeks, they’ve expended energy growing and reproducing, setting seeds and buds which will yield next year’s leaves and flowers. Watching this cycle reminds me that it’s not only ok but also necessary for me to rest too.

And so I draw near to the One who bids me find my rest in Him (Matthew 11:28-30).

I hope the following photos, accompanied by lyrics to two of my favorite hymns, How Great Thou Art[1] and This is My Father’s World[2], will be a balm to your soul, a reminder that the One who cares for the birds and the lilies cares even more for His beloved children (Matthew 6:25-33).

This is My Father’s World

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise, the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker’s praise.

This is my Father’s world: he shines in all that’s fair; in the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget that though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.

This is my Father’s world: why should my heart be sad? The Lord is King; let the heavens ring! God reigns; let the earth be glad!

How Great Thou Art

Oh Lord, my God when I, in awesome wonder consider all the worlds Thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder Thy power throughout the universe displayed.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee how great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee how great Thou art, how great Thou art.

And when I think that God, His Son not sparing sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee how great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee how great Thou art, how great Thou art.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration and then proclaim, my God, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee how great Thou art, how great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to Thee how great Thou art, how great Thou art.

Dear Lord, thank You for the beauty of your creation, full of reminders of your infinite, eternal love for us. There are times when the wrong in this world does seem so strong, whether in our personal lives or globally. Still, we know You are the Ruler over all, sovereign over every detail. May we rest in that confidence until You return, ever praising your Name.

[1] Carl Boberg, 1885. Translated by Stuart K. Hine, 1949.

[2] Maltbie Babcock, 1901.