I don’t understand why but for the last year or so I have become fascinated with the things my body is able to do. I see these abilities as insights into the genius of our Creator.

The first one I mention is one I actually have been impressed by since my youth.  That is my ability to walk. When I focus on it, I see it as a wonder that I can move my body from one place to another without really focusing on the commands my brain must give and the responses of my legs. When I first saw this as a wonder, I hoped I would never outgrow my appreciation of this simple bodily action. This ability often comes to mind making me appreciative of my body’s complexity.

Recently, I was aware that each of my arms were involved in different sweeping movements on on the front of my body. Then, while those were happening independent of each other, my mind was aware of the two movements. So, my brain was split into handling more than one assignment at a time. I think in current terminology this would be called multi-tasking.  Along with this, I have noticed that when I want my arm to take an action, there is no complicated process that slowly takes place. As soon as I think of it, my arm responds. It’s a split second reaction. Being aware of this makes me view my brain like a computer. What a gift from our creator for every functioning brain.

Along with the ability to generate commands a functioning brain is also able to look at situations and people and sometimes comprehend them. It draws on things learned either formally or generally in life and applies those things to what it sees or is experiencing. I remember a professor in seminary saying that he believed one of the proofs for the existence of God was a person’s ability to look through a telescope into the skies and understand what he sees out there. Compreshension is another gift generously given us by our Creator.

Another gift is memory. This is something I am appreciating more as I get older. It’s not as quick as it once was to bring memories to mind. But there still are things from my life long ago that I can vividly recall. For example, I remember in grade school, another boy and I were kicked out of the class play because we couldn’t stop giggling. I felt helpless and cool as I thought he and I were in a better place somehow. It seemed more fun to laugh at what was going on. And, after being tossed out, I didn’t feel any shame. I felt relief. Now, how could I remember something so unimportant in the scheme of things. Somehow I still can. I’ve noticed events like this one seem to have been stored in a place in my brain that was more easily recalled. However, memory is not so good as it used to be because right now I can’t remember what I did this morniing. Still, like Bob Hope used to sing at the close of each of his overseas shows for US Armed Forces. “Thanks for the memories.”

Although there is more to list here, I will close with my attitude of thankfulness. I was taught by my mother to be thankful, but she has been gone from us for a long time…and I am still regularly thankful.

So, when I think of only some of my body’s parts and abilities, I am reminded to think of the intelligence and creativity of the Creator.