Amazing how the peace of God resides in nature.  This morning was full of conflict. - “It’s mine!”, “Don’t touch me!”, “Mom - s/he took my … ” until I couldn’t stand it anymore.  “Everybody in the car!”  Grab some water and bananas, crayons, notepads, and a Bible.  Drive to Turkey Mountain.  End of conflict.  Says Sister, “Turkey Mountain! I love Turkey Mountain”!  Says Brother, “Dook Mom A Jungle, Wow”! A rock, a tree, flowers, birds, a butterfly - so many simple things that bring peace.  We found a quiet place off the main path with rocks to climb and mini-trails to explore.  Sipping our water and snacking on bananas we read Psalm 148 and learned that everything praises the Lord.  We talked of this and imagined how the nature around us praises its creator.  A rock is strong for God.  The trees raise their branches to the heavens and rustle a sweet chorus with the breeze.  Birds sing and tree trunks offer a reverent silence.  Sister sings a sweet melody of praise and raises her hands.  We draw pictures of the things we have seen and at Sister’s suggestion hike a bit more.  “Maybe if we go further we can find something else that might praise the Lord.”  It has been a few weeks now since we stopped attending Carbondale.  We are still searching for where God wants us.  I believe that having and communing with other Christians is an important part of spiritual growth and maturing and yet I cannot help but wonder how much more my children (and I) discovered and grew this morning in the First Church of the Great Outdoors.