Ellie Holcomb Instagram – I love that the Psalmist of 148 takes time to direct or conduct the earth….I think it’s such a beautiful and poetic image. And I think that sometimes for me, praising God feels hard. There are days when I get stuck in a rut, negative thoughts about, usually centering around myself and how I’m not doing as well as I want to be doing at things….I’ll lose my patience with my kids, I’ll say something without thinking about how it might make others in the room feel, I’ll be disorganized and unintentional with my time, I’ll stay up way too late instead of getting the sleep I need, or say “yes” to WAY too many things without respecting the boundaries I know are healthy for me that create rhythms of rest….on these days, it’s so easy to get into a spiral….to land in a lake of shame, ultimately all focused on me, and it is in these moments that creation helps me re-center…if I can get outside or even look out a window, I see birds composing melodies, trees singing with the kind of green that proves there’s life after death after all , after long winter seasons, sun that comes up gracious and golden each morning , humming the sweet melody of mercy, and stars in the night whispering lullabies that the light is always stronger than the darkness….when I listen to creations song, I’m reminded that I was created by a LOVING creator, and He loves me enough to not leave me in my messes alone. He loves me enough to invite me to lift my eyes and hands and heart and life in praise to Him….and ultimately, when i can rejoice, even in the midst of my messes, when I can repent and return to the place where I’m loved no matter what mistakes I make, I’m greeted with mercy and love, and I’m grounded in my true identity again….a beloved creature of God. (Continue in comments)