“Lord, you are more precious than silver

Lord, you are more costly than gold

Lord, you are more beautiful than diamonds

And nothing I desire compares with you.”

“Nothing I desire compares with you.”

It is easy to read the Old Testament

And judge the followers of Baal

The ones who bowed down to golden calves

Even when Yahweh himself had been in their midst

After all, I’m not really a golden calf kind of girl

Golden calves aren’t really my thing

But idols of different kinds are all too familiar

This morning in the peace and solitude of this place

I sang that old praise song

And my voice caught on the last line

Do I live like nothing I desire compares with you?

What would that look like?

How would my life look if I lived that out?

What would be less and what would be more?

I would go outside more

Go outdoors more in worship of the Creator who gave us all of this

This cottonwood tree with its huge boughs and leaves all on one side

Facing the light and the lake

Strong and sturdy on the beach of Lake Keuka

A place to tie up the rowboat, to anchor the hammock

I would touch the bark and fall in love with its deep grooves

In awe of the Creator of such a lovely thing

I would notice more

Notice the tiny tendrils of the tiger lily

See how it closes up in the cool of the evening

And stretches its petals wide in the morning light

I would take in the purple crown vetch

Its lavender petals tempting the bees

I would take time to feed the ducks

Admiring their sleek bodies and how fast their webbed feet move them along

The surface of the lake

I would listen more

Listen to the sound the water makes as it comes into shore

But listen more to people too

Especially to people

Talking less

Listening to their hearts as well as their words

I would worship more

And worry less

Anxieties calmed by prayer

Not by ice cream

Ice cream works for about as long as it takes to consume it

But buyers remorse always sets in

And peace that doesn’t last

Isn’t peace at all

I would wash the dishes more

Look for ways to bless my enemies

I would step out of my “comfort zone” more

I would not do less

But do more that matters most

I would show grace and mercy

Because that is what has been shown to me

I would dance more

Take walks in the rain

I would walk more and sit less

I would be in more photos

Caring less about being fat

And more about being present

I would smile more and  

Laugh at the days to come

I would no longer sacrifice time

On the altar of technology

I would make fewer lists

And make more friends

There would be fewer things and more people

Less striving and more rest

Less entertainment and more service

Less doing and more being

Less of me

And more of Him