Looking Out My Back Door

back-door-frame

I am, as I write, sitting on my screen porch, looking out my back door over the railing at scenery I’ve delighted in for years. But I’m not enjoying it now, not really, because tomorrow we move out. And I’m sad. So many happy memories, out here on the porch and inside this home. I’ll never again find myself looking out my back door – not this back door over this railing to these trees. Never again. I miss my view even before it’s gone.

I’ve spent the last ten minutes taking picture after picture out my back door, trying to capture the scene so I can hold on to it. The light is perfect, a soft breeze gently sways my trees, but sadness dilutes their beauty because tomorrow the view out my back door will belong to others.

Suddenly God reminds me, as He often does when my thoughts are skewed, that I’m looking ahead and missing the moment He’s giving me now. Because now I am looking out my back door over a sun-lit railing at trees I love. A breath of delight nudges my spirit, and a soft breeze again sways my trees.

As I think (perhaps I should say “as I pray”), I remember that God is the giver of good things, consistently and unchangingly. Ahhh … there’s my error! I’m assuming that the disappearance of this loveliness means that loveliness itself will be gone. But no. Loveliness doesn’t disappear; it just changes. My sadness eases, just a bit, as I begin to trust: God will bring me other (though different) lovely things to savor. Other “back porches.” Other “railings.” Other “trees.”

And now? Now I still have a few more moments to delight in the view out today’s back door.

Looking Out My Back Door
© Lynne Fox, 2013
biblegrapes.com

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5 thoughts on “Looking Out My Back Door

  • July 5, 2014 at 8:45 am
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    This reminded me of The Last Battle in C.S. Lewis, the very last few pages of the book where all good things will be even more enhanced beyond our conceptions in eternity:

    “Why!” exclaimed Peter. “It’s England. And that’s the house itself—Professor Kirk’s old home in the country where all our adventures began!” “I thought that house had been destroyed,” said Edmund. “So it was,” said the Faun. “But you are now looking at the England within England, the real England just as this is the real Narnia. And in that inner England no good thing is destroyed.

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  • July 4, 2014 at 9:22 am
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    I like this one. It brings back good memories.

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  • July 4, 2013 at 2:07 pm
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    Nice. Totally get it. I love my porch and trees swaying in the breeze. Today is the day the Lord has made. Interesting how joy and sadness often come hand in hand. Judy

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