Last week my wife and I visited some dear friends in Arizona. 

I had a chance to hike into the nearby hills one day. I was so humbled and grateful to see God's beauty once again in nature. There were flowers blooming, tall cactus plants, rolling meadows, and mountain sheep. Everything was wonderful. l learned that it takes a cactus plant 5 years to grow 2 inches. I learned once the main plant stump is somewhat tall, it takes an additional 70 years to grow an arm. All that time to produce an amazing plant.

This reminded me once again that God's time is not our time. God slowly works in cultivating our faith to deeper and deeper levels resulting in our relationship with God growing deeper and more awe-inspiring. 

The plants in nature are nurtured by rain and moisture even in places where such nourishment is limited due to dry arid climates.

How much luckier are we in receiving our nourishment from God than plants though? We can obtain it at any time in prayer. We receive it in abundance through reception of the Sacraments.

In doing so, we slowly become what God wants us to be. He is the potter, we are the clay; the handiwork of His loving hands.

Thank you dear God for loving us so much. 

The noun rumination means a deep considered thought about something 

-By Deacon Tom Gryzbek