Sadly, our little valley is no longer covered with green grass and dotted with large oak trees shimmering in the breeze. Unfortunately, to our surprise a few years ago, a developer came along and bought up the land in order to build and sell houses for a large profit. He let the green grass die and he tore out all of the big, beautiful trees, and for over a year now we have watched as an entire new complex of houses has been erected all along the valley floor below. Where once there was quiet and the sounds of nature, now we hear only the sounds of a construction zone. Where once we left windows wide open to catch ocean breezes that come inland from the coast, now we sit with windows closed tightly for the day waiting for clouds of dust to settle in for the night after the dirt movers have done their job. This big change has been a hard pill to swallow. 

The other day as I stood there at my kitchen sink washing the dishes and looking out the window I began to fuss and fume. 

“Our view of the valley is completely gone!”, I complained to myself under my breath.

 I went on complaining, “There’s nothing but rooftops as far as the eye can see across the valley now.”

Then standing there something caught my eye. It was a red tail hawk soring high above. I watched as the hawk with wings outstretched began to swoop down into our valley. I’d seen this many times before; however, on this day it drew my line of sight to the backdrop behind it. Right there within my view were the beautiful foothills still present for all to see. 

Suddenly the thought occurred to me that I just needed to shift my perspective. Of course, when I look down at the valley, I will be disappointed that our view is gone, how could I not, but if I just adjusted my line of sight and looked up to the hills, I could still enjoy some of the most beautiful vistas around. All I needed to do was not look down, but rather look up.

The Bible has a lot to say about this change in perspective from looking down in disappointment and distress to looking up in peace and in praise to God in whom we can trust. While standing there at that kitchen sink, I was reminded of Psalms 121: 1,2 which says, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Amen to that. When times are hard there is always hope. We need only to look up and we will find it.