Finding God Everywhere I Go

"When we realize how vast and beautiful the creation is,

we are learning about the Creator at the same time."

~ Wisdom of Solomon 13:5

I don't understand why people think science, nature, and mathematics all exist independent of God. Everything points to the Creator. I started college thinking I would major in English and become a teacher. Math had never been of interest to me in high school - not much was, outside of friends and having fun - but once I started math in college, I was hooked. Mathematics were the fingerprints of God! How else can you explain the concept of infinity, the golden ratio, or infinite numbers like e or pi? Add in the statistical probability of all these things coming to fruition on their own and there HAS to be a creator - the odds are definitely not in favor of such things happening by coincidence!

I ended up with a degree in mathematical sciences and an understanding of God that knew no boundaries. The more I looked for God, the more I found him. Landscapes, cloud formations, animals, insects: all provided proof of God's existence and his handiwork in creation. Hogweed grew outside my apartment - the flowers of which grow according to the Fibonacci sequence. When the COVID lockdown hit in 2020 and I started using my spare time to hone my photography skills, I started looking even more closely at the world around me...and I mean, closely.

Not a big fan of bugs, I avoided spiders the most. I was terrified of their bites and they just moved too quickly for my comfort. Once I got serious about photography, however, I made my first lens purchase: Canon 100mm f/2.8 L Macro IS USM EF-Mount Lens. It cost me close to $1000 second-hand and was worth every penny. Extreme close-ups of things we usually don't pay attention to just excite me! How fascinating to find tiny ants hiding between the petals of a dahlia in the garden and to see with clarity the many ommatidium of a fly's eye! The more I explored the microscopic elements of my world, the stronger my desire grew to photograph spiders that closely. Sure, they scared me, yet they had a beauty that could not be denied.

Macro photography requires a tripod or very steady hand. It also requires the camera lens to be within several inches of your subject. I had to overcome my fear of spiders if I wanted to photograph them. Little by little, I did just that. My fear of spiders diminished, as did my fear of bees, wasps, and other stinging insects. By the grace of God, I was able to see their beauty and, in it, proof of God's creativity. I now take photos everywhere I go. My phone was purchased specifically for its camera, which includes a macro lens. I don't want to miss a moment with God as I enjoy his creation!

Creator God, your artistic genius permeates everything. Please give me the grace to see it. Amen.

Hogweed flowers in all their Fibonacci glory.