This past weekend I visited Arenal Volcano near La Fortuna, Costa Rica.  The initial draw was my mental checklist of sites that I knew I should see while in the country.  However, the views, sounds, and resulting peace checked more than my list.

My heart was checked.

I woke up at 4:30 a.m. Sunday morning in order to hike up the mountain to watch the Sun rise.  Howling monkeys in the trees, horses scattered among the hills, and countless birds orchestrated a concert introducing the Sun, and an inevitable sense of awe followed.  As I sat aware of the utter greatness and creativity of our Lord, a subtle reminder persisted deep within me.

Every morning the Sun rises with brilliant colors.
Every morning the monkeys serenade while the birds dance.
Every morning the trees paint a surreal scene among the flowing flowers.

The Composer seemed to whisper, “I do this every morning, Caroline.  I’m glad you decided to watch me today.”  The Lord does not merely pull up the Sun to check light off his list or set the moon in a routine so the streets aren’t too dark.  Everyday beauty is expressed through a new song, a new array of colors, and a new dance.

And normally I sleep through it.

Daily the beauty is evident despite my natural tendency to ignore the magnificence.  Not every morning will I watch molten rock spill from the top of a mountain, but every morning I ought to wake in light of the beauty that occurred outside my windows while I was fast sleep.  And even more, I ought to see that the God who calls the starry hosts by name, checks off my needs, checks my heart, and asks me to check into this awareness.

This is a lesson I cannot check off yet.