Picture of the day - August 19, 2005

Sunlight Streaming Into A Forest Clearing

Photo courtesy of PDphoto.org.  Today's picture features a colorful forest clearing lit up by brilliant rays of sunshine streaming through the trees. This scene brings back fond memories of my childhood - of countless hours spent playing in the woods near our southwestern Virginia home. I grew up in the rural community of Widener Valley, about 5 miles from the small town of Damascus, Virginia. There wasn't much for a kid to do back in those days, but I loved being out in the woods. I imagined that I was Daniel Boone as I blazed trails with a hatchet. My nephew Chris and I built tree houses and forts where we would play Cowboys and Indians and whatever else we could think of at the time. I also remember simply walking through the woods "exploring", looking at God's handiwork through the eyes of an inquisitive child. There are many beautiful things to see out in the woods - a log covered with a carpet of moss, a rushing mountain stream, a squirrel gathering hickory nuts... But there is one memory that stands out above all else. I had been following an old deer trail for quite some time when I suddenly realized that it would be getting dark soon. I knew I was pretty far from home and the fading light made it difficult to see the path - I was lost in the woods! I started running, frantically trying to spot something that would give me a clue about which direction I needed to walk in. Everything was a blur, then all of a sudden I ran out into a clearing that looked much like the one in today's picture. Sunlight was streaming through the trees giving everything it landed on a bright orange glow....I believe it was a sign from God that everything was going to be just fine. I quickly realized that I had been there many times before and that I was headed in the right direction. That night I laid in bed running the entire episode over and over in my mind and a certain peace came over me. From that day forward, I have always felt safe in the woods. After all, God had taken care of me that day and I knew I could count on Him to take care of me again and again.   Picture Of The Day Homepage | Submit a photo Interesting Articles