Quietude

'Quietude': a state of stillness, calmness, and quiet in a person or place.

There is something inherently peaceful about the water. Something about that deep blue - from the vibrant cobalt of the sky reflecting off the ocean on a bright sunny day, to the shimmering turquoise of the little creek as the sun dances on it's surface and tinging the water with it's golden light. The colours of the water bring with them rest and rejuvenation. For me, it signifies the end of a journey - as a child, my sister and I would strain for the first glimpse of shimmering blue as we travelled to the beach with our parents, and as an adult my heart still rejoices when my eyes rest on the welcoming colour of the water that signifies a time to pause and rest.
Stoney Creek is one of those places, hidden away within the thick Australian Bush of Byfield National Park, where I know my heart can find rest. Setting aside a day when I feel the pull to get away from the unrelenting pace of life, when my heart yearns for a time of quiet with no one but my Creator, this is a place where I know I can come. My heart rejoices when my eyes rest on the welcoming colour of the water as I round the corner of the dirt track in my old blue ute, signifying a time to pause and rest.
As I walk barefoot across the grassy picnic area towards the creek, my heart lightens with every step. I feel the strain melting away, as I smell the flowing gums lining it's banks. This is a place where I can feel God's presence - as though He made this little rocky seat by the water just for me, where I can be with Him and just enjoy His company. The sun dances on the water as it's filtered light makes it's way between the leaves of the surrounding trees. Dipping my feet into the water and relishing it's coolness on such a hot summer's day, I gaze into it's depths to watch for the turtles lazily making their way across the stones lining the creek bed. On the opposite bank, a kingfisher, flashing bright blue against the white paperbark tree he has claimed as his perch, fixes his gaze on the crystal clear water, waiting for one of the little guppies that may venture too close to the surface. Leaning back against the rocks, watching the shimmering turquoise of the little creek as the sun dances on it's surface, I am so thankful for this precious time to enjoy all my Heavenly Father has made - and to enjoy this time just with Him. Nothing else matters, and nothing else will last.