Wow! Things can change in a blink. This morning as I walked down the stairs to the bottom floor kitchen of our quaint rental cabin in Tennessee, I was reminded of just how quickly. With book and glasses in hand my slippered feet padded down the stairs to make coffee when one of them slipped out from under me. One minute I was on firm footing, and the next I was tumbling, tumbling down the slick wooden stairs. My first thought was “Oh no! I wonder if I’m seriously hurt?”
Mike, who is usually a slow mover in the morning, jumped out of bed and rushed to my side. Thank goodness there was a landing halfway down the stairs that stopped my decidedly ungraceful entry into this new day. As I gingerly moved first one limb, then the other, I realized that what could have been an absolutely tragic event was just a scare.
With only hurt feelings and a bruise or two resulting from my unfortunate mishap I thanked God that He had once again kept me safe and sound. This incident got me thinking anew that every day of safety and good health is such a blessing.
As I’m typing I feel a little twinge or two but nothing even remotely as serious as it could have been. We all live and learn. I have learned not to have my hands full when maneuvering down a flight of stairs. I have also learned to hold on to the handrail if the stairs are steep or slick. And in my case it’s probably a good idea to have a coffee pot on the same floor as my bedroom so I can wake up before taking on the stairs!
Our cabin nestled in thick woodland on a beautifully rushing clear creek gave us ample opportunity to relax and visit Melinda, our daughter, and her family, who live nearby. The back porch actually hung over the water’s edge, making a sweatshirt and warm-ups the clothing of choice in the morning and evening hours. What a welcome respite the chilly air provided from the oppressive heat of the Deep South dog days of summer. Just a few hundred feet from our cabin flowed a gorgeous waterfall. The water sparkled as the sun’s rays beamed down enhancing the lovely scene.
It’s always a good thing to take a few days to drink in some of the exquisite beauty of our world. Society changes, but the natural world allows us a glimpse into the unchanging nature of creation and our Creator. We can count on the sun rising and setting in all its magnificent glory, no matter what is happening in the world. The mountains continue to herald each morning standing majestic and strong against an azure sky. Who could doubt God’s mighty hand at work in our world? People change, society changes, but He does not.
It is good to briefly remove ourselves from the push and pull of work and daily tasks to remember God’s unchanging love for us all.

Jan Penton Miller can be reached at lilsisjan@yahoo.com.