A Dirty Construction Yard?

“Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” Psalm 100:1-2

Red Wings are one kind of Sensible Shoes I wear on this journey with Jesus. They carry me through a world of men, dirt, grease, and big machinery. After a hard day’s work of crushing concrete and asphalt, my hard-hat crowned head, clunky-booted feet and dust-covered body feels anything but beautiful.

But even in the middle of a dirty construction yard, the beauty of creation abounds. Every summer day at 3:30 p.m., the swallows come and swoop the road base pile, carrying off our hard work to build their nests. Other birds build egg-filled nests in too-long parked trucks and tractors. Jackrabbits tease as they dodge through the hole in the fence that is much too small for our 90-pound dog to go through. Deer bed down in the red clover on the back slope of the yard. Lizards scamper for another shelter as their pallet-homes of machine parts are moved out of storage. And even those cursed weeds reveal God’s tender mercies in the tiniest yellow, orange, and purple flowers.

How about you? What beauty have you found in the midst of the dirt?

Dear Lord, thank You for the beauty of the earth for us to enjoy. Open our eyes to see what You have in store for us each day. Please teach our hearts to sing with joyful song, that we may join Your creation in praise and worship to You even in the middle of what is considered dirt and filth. Amen.