From A Distance!

From a distance I hear the sound of the train crossing through town. The mournful cry of it's horn breaks the silence of the early morning as I ponder the beauty of the earth. There it is again, this time more insistant that everyone make way. When they roll through town I don't think they're doing much over 30 mph, but that is certainly fast enough to push past, considering it's total mass, any and all obstacles.Growing up I had a neighbor, Milo Scholl, an engineer for the northern line. He was home 3 or 4 days a week and there was still a depot in town. Diesel engines were fairly new to the rails, and the sound began to change to what we hear today. This story is not about trains, though, it is about the beauty of the earth when seen from such a great distance. No huddled masses in need, no trash strewn carelessly about, just a neat pretty orb backlit by the infinite universe. My hours are messed up, I should be sleeping. Our eldest grandson hit the rack about an hour ago(he's here for the weekend and watched the satellite dish perform it's living room magic until his eyes would no longer support their lids), I should have been asleep long before that but there were these things that had to be taken care of, and one last piece of work to do in the office before shutting down.
The early morning hours are my favorites of the whole day. Only a couple dark ones left until the dawn, and out there somewhere there are folks just rising. That's the way it is 24\7 I suppose. No matter when we go to sleep someone else is just waking. Comfort can also be taken in the thought that no matter when I quit praying there is someone out there who is just beginning. Do you think God sees the earth as it is pictured? Or do you suppose that from His perspective it is just another twinkle in the sky? I don't know. God, in all, through all, constantly present, and yet distant, too. I like the time when things are peaceful, they invite the mind to ponder enormous thoughts, and focus for a time on the important things in life, faith, family, and friends. I pray each of us has the opportunity to do this everyday. God bless, Preacher.