WEBVTT - A Prayer for Noticing More

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<v Speaker 1>Thank you for listening to your daily prayer, where we

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<v Speaker 1>help you find the words you need to connect to

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<v Speaker 1>your Father in Heaven. No matter what is happening in

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<v Speaker 1>your life today, you can trust that God wants to

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<v Speaker 1>hear from you. Right after this short word from our sponsors,

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<v Speaker 1>we'll pray for today's prayer for noticing more A Prayer

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<v Speaker 1>for Noticing More Written by Tammy Darling Read by Carrie

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<v Speaker 1>Eichberger The heavens declare the glory of the Lord. The

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<v Speaker 1>skies proclaim the work of his hands. Psalm 19 verse 1.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm often told I notice things others do not. If

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<v Speaker 1>they mean that I see what others often overlook or

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<v Speaker 1>walk right by, then I suppose they are correct. Until

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<v Speaker 1>it was pointed out to me, I never thought much

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<v Speaker 1>about the way I observe the world around me. I

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<v Speaker 1>do tend to look at things in a slow, deliberate manner.

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<v Speaker 1>It never occurred to me that not everyone does. I'm

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<v Speaker 1>on a lifelong adventure to discover beauty and wonder wherever

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<v Speaker 1>I can. Something as simple as photographing a bee on

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<v Speaker 1>a flower, both covered in pollen, brings a smile to

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<v Speaker 1>my face. And spying a walking stick on a wooden bench? Bonus.

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<v Speaker 1>A life of noticing goes beyond and truly sees with purpose, intentionality,

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<v Speaker 1>to see, to observe, to consider. A life lived on

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<v Speaker 1>autopilot is not the life of one who truly embraces

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<v Speaker 1>the abundant life Christ brought us. Look deep into nature,

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<v Speaker 1>and then you will understand everything better. These words attributed

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<v Speaker 1>to Albert Einstein are profound. I have learned so much

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<v Speaker 1>by noticing, observing, asking questions, and photographing nature. To experience

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<v Speaker 1>God's world fully is to notice. Sleepwalking through nature is

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<v Speaker 1>apathy at its finest. But to notice, to observe closely,

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<v Speaker 1>that's intentional, proactive living. That's gratitude in action. Here's a

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<v Speaker 1>life-changing concept to consider. Being more involved in life while

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<v Speaker 1>you're living it. Not looking for the next big thing. Unless,

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<v Speaker 1>of course, you're on a whale-watching tour. Then, by all means,

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<v Speaker 1>look for the next big thing. It's not just going

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<v Speaker 1>through the motions. It's actually living life in the present tense. participating, noticing, observing, engaging.

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<v Speaker 1>Being a noticer isn't an exclusive title. Anyone can take

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<v Speaker 1>notice and experience the outdoors in a whole new way.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a choice to slow down and notice and observe

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<v Speaker 1>what's around you on a deeper level. To become a noticer,

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<v Speaker 1>an observer of nature, one must take in what's going

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<v Speaker 1>on around them. When I recently went to a local

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<v Speaker 1>state park, The first thing I did upon exiting the

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<v Speaker 1>vehicle was quickly scan the area around me for as

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<v Speaker 1>far as I could see in all directions, looking for

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<v Speaker 1>any sign of movement. After the quick scan, I began

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<v Speaker 1>to zero in, to look more closely. My observation skills

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<v Speaker 1>were rewarded. In a tree, not moving, was an osprey.

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<v Speaker 1>Had I not deliberately put my observation skills to work,

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<v Speaker 1>I would never have seen the osprey, as I had

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<v Speaker 1>originally planned to walk the other way. On another occasion,

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<v Speaker 1>my sister nearly sat on a snake. Not just any snake,

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<v Speaker 1>but a large adult copperhead. Why? Because she wasn't noticing.

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<v Speaker 1>She wasn't paying attention to her surroundings. It pays to

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<v Speaker 1>pay attention. When you take the time to truly notice things,

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<v Speaker 1>you sharpen your observation skills. Sitting outside on a summer day,

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<v Speaker 1>I noticed something off on my thigh. I have some

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<v Speaker 1>scattered freckles and even a few small scars I've picked

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<v Speaker 1>up along the way. But as small as this was,

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<v Speaker 1>it still seemed out of place. I was right. Upon

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<v Speaker 1>closer inspection, I discovered that it was a deer tick

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<v Speaker 1>just beginning to embed itself in my leg. I quickly

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<v Speaker 1>ran for the Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid, which drew the

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<v Speaker 1>tick out, and I was able to remove the tick completely.

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<v Speaker 1>Had my observation skills not been engaged, I may have

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<v Speaker 1>missed that minuscule deer tick. Those noticing skills may have

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<v Speaker 1>prevented future Lyme disease. If you want to hone your

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<v Speaker 1>noticing skills, begin to delight in the everyday. Look at

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<v Speaker 1>the same old thing with new eyes, with eyes of wonder.

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<v Speaker 1>See what you've never seen before. Before you blow that

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<v Speaker 1>dandelion puffball and scatter the seeds, study it up close.

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<v Speaker 1>Look at the intricate pattern and be amazed. Photograph it.

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<v Speaker 1>Sketch it. Paint it. Whatever your creative gift is, capture it.

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<v Speaker 1>Learn to engage your other senses. Observation involves more than

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<v Speaker 1>just sight. What are you hearing? Smelling? Where's the focus?

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<v Speaker 1>When I spotted the osprey in the tree and noticed

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<v Speaker 1>it wasn't moving, I followed its line of sight and

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<v Speaker 1>realized it was fixed on a pair of Canada geese

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<v Speaker 1>along the creek. A closer look here a curiosity there,

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<v Speaker 1>and before you know it, you're noticing things that you

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<v Speaker 1>previously overlooked. Nature becomes a magnificent mystery just waiting to

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<v Speaker 1>be revealed, bit by breathtaking bit. Suddenly, you're living with

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<v Speaker 1>expectation and wonderment, all attributed to our great God. Because

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<v Speaker 1>there are so many benefits to noticing on a heightened level,

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<v Speaker 1>I don't mind being referred to as the noticer. I'll

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<v Speaker 1>gladly accept that as a compliment. I want to notice

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<v Speaker 1>and closely observe all I can. And in noticing, I

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<v Speaker 1>know my life will be better for it. For every

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<v Speaker 1>encounter draws me closer to God. Let's pray. God of creation,

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<v Speaker 1>we join with the chorus in heaven and cry, Holy, holy,

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<v Speaker 1>holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full

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<v Speaker 1>of his glory. We are grateful for your majesty all

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<v Speaker 1>around us. May we have eyes to see, ears to hear,

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<v Speaker 1>Our hearts are grateful and full of awe. May we

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<v Speaker 1>increasingly notice the gifts of creation all around us as

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<v Speaker 1>we traverse through this life of abundance that you have

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<v Speaker 1>blessed us with. With grateful hearts we pray. Amen. Your

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<v Speaker 1>Daily Prayer is a production of Life Audio and Selah Media.

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