how great thou art

Over the past several days, Kevin and I have enjoyed the breathtaking experience of east Texas spring weather. We’ve awakened to booms of thunder that make your heart leap, sat in awe of lightning streaks miles long and seemingly only steps away, been energized by the sounds of rain dancing on the lake that lies only feet away from the house and which tickles the trees all around us, and smelled the fresh newness in the air that comes following the storm. We’ve had flash flooding for days and learned just this morning that the area has not experienced this kind of rapid rainfall in over 33 years. If you’ve read my thoughts in “didn’t know what I had” you’ll understand my delight at being in east Texas at a time such as this. At the risk of being transparently hedonistic, I’ll admit that I often find myself wondering every time it rains if my God sent the downpour just for me as he knows how I love it!

Yesterday afternoon, Kevin, our children, and I loaded up our snacks and iPod and went for a drive. You wouldn’t believe what we saw…fabulous sights that we’ve missed over the past 12+ years as we’ve been living away from such beauty in other parts of Texas. We saw lush, green, hilly pastures still wet but shiny from glimmers of sunlight. We saw wildflowers lightly dressing those hills with vibrant color. We saw ponds surrounded by strong and tall pines that appeared almost fictitious like oil paintings. We heard birds chirping like they do first thing in the morning and saw cows grazing in Kelly green fields alongside tiny calves. We found ourselves consumed with pleasure as we realized once again that we are getting the privilege of enjoying a place that we have missed for over 12 years and that our hearts love to call home.

Four hours after beginning our Sunday afternoon drive, we were headed back home and were enjoying the sound of our children singing along to Avalon’s “Faith: A Hymns Collection” in the back seat. Like the climax in a good movie, Avalon’s version of “How Great Thou Art” flowed in the air as the sun was setting and our children’s voices were rising. We couldn’t help but all sing along, especially after the day we had experienced together. I think we may have understood to a small degree what Swedish preacher Carl Boberg meant when he penned the hymn in 1886. According to historians, following a time of being caught up in a fierce thunderstorm which was concluded by a brilliant sun and the songs of birds in the trees, Boberg felt compelled to create his hymn, “How Great Thou Art.”

“O 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.” 

“When through 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 see 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 Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art!”

tessa