Don Underwood’s weekly columns for the last 30 years have touched hearts and changed lives. This collection of some of his best reminds readers how God is ever present, in the heat of the summer and the prayed for rain, in the lives of the least likely acquaintance and the best loved parent. It is his celebration of the everyday and Underwood’s own recognition of the greatest beauty in the smallest of things that makes this a book readers will return to again and again. Don Underwood, in his 30th year as Senior Pastor of Christ United Methodist Church in Plano, Texas, is the author of a popular weekly blog and author of the The Long View: Reflections on Life, God, and Nature a collection of his much loved weekly essays. The Long View Reflections on Life, God, and Nature By Don Underwood Abingdon Press Copyright © 2013 Donald W. Underwood All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-1-4267-7597-0 Contents INTRODUCTION...............................................................xiABOUT THE SIETE BRAND......................................................xv1. THE JOURNEY.............................................................12. INSPIRING LIVES.........................................................153. MEMORIES................................................................394. NATURE..................................................................615. ALL GOD'S CREATURES.....................................................896. PRIORITIES..............................................................1057. THE CIRCLE OF LIFE......................................................1198. OUR DAILY LIFE..........................................................1339. THE SEASONS.............................................................159 CHAPTER 1 The Journey I have often said that there are two kinds of people: thosewho are on a spiritual journey and know it, and those whoare on a spiritual journey but don't know it yet. I believe thatthe spiritual journey includes the quest for meaning, the searchfor God, and the hunger for significant relationships. That questcontinues until our dying day. It is human nature to think that we can arrive at the destinationof our choosing on the timetable that is most convenient.We strive for the big achievements in life—graduation, marriage,children, the big job or promotion, great wealth—thinkingeach time that we have finally "arrived." In a very real sense,many of us remain captive to the fairy tale of "living happilyever after" when, in fact, the journey never ends. Each step musthave its own meaning, and we must strive to find joy in the directionof our lives rather than in the destination. This group of reflections includes some thoughts on howour journey sometimes takes us on detours to places we thinkwe don't want to go. But, if we are thoughtful and observant,we will often find that there are great lessons to be learned fromlife's detours. Even when we are completely lost, we may stumbleonto some of life's greatest blessings. Just as getting lost ona country drive may take you by some incredibly scenic spotyou otherwise would never have seen, there are times of greatpersonal discoveries when you feel emotionally or spirituallylost. Those are some of the things I contemplate on drives betweenmy city home and my little ranch in north Texas. 7 The Road, Part 1 A long, hot, dry Texas summer had decimated FM 1385,the paved county highway I travel regularly. Most of the roadwas fine, but there were sections where the base under the roadhad collapsed. To get past those sections I had to slow to lessthan forty miles per hour, and even then it often felt more likesailing a small boat over high seas than driving. If there wasoncoming traffic, it could be dangerous. Coming home one night I couldn't help thinking abouthow my journeys across that road were emblematic of my trekthrough life. Sometimes my life's path has been straight andtrue and smooth, with no real obstacles. There have been timeswhen it was easy travelin' and I made good time toward mydestination. Other times I have hit rough patches that slowedme down, turbulence that frightened me, and discomfort thattempted me to give up. I drove that county road so often that I knew where thebad spots were. They didn't bother me much. I knew that itwouldn't be far before things smoothed out. Whenever I neareda bad section, I would remind myself to slow down, drive carefully,and be patient. You know where this is heading. Wisdom does not comeeasily, especially the kind that allows us to understand the lengthand scope of the journey God has laid in front of us. Lookingback on my life, I wish I could have displayed more equanimityduring my rough patches. I'd like to say that I always knewthings would smooth out, but I didn't. I certainly didn't alwaysunderstand it at an emotional and spiritual level. Sometimes Irailed against the injustice of life; sometimes I panicked. Therewere times when I simply cr