My Father's World

In an entry yesterday, I told about learning "This is My Father's World" at my one-room school.  My daughter left a comment saying that she surely must have heard me sing that song if it meant so much to me.  
I doubt that she did.  I think my early memories of the song were buried in my past.
A strange thing happens when you get old:  Treasures from the distant past float to the surface of your consciousness, things you had not thought of in years.  
So last week that song appeared out of nowhere and sang itself to me, over and over, until I shared it on my blog.  
I have figured out why I loved, and still love, the song so much:  I am one of those people who feels closest to God when I'm outside.  After all, look at the words in the song as it was originally written:  

This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears
All nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres.
This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought
Of rocks and trees, of skies and seas;
His hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father’s world, the birds their carols raise,
The morning light, the lily white, declare their Maker’s praise.
This is my Father’s world: He shines in all that’s fair;
In the rustling grass I hear Him pass;
He speaks to me everywhere.

This is my Father’s world. O let me ne’er forget
That though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet.
This is my Father’s world: the battle is not done:
Jesus Who died shall be satisfied,
And earth and Heav’n be one.

This is my Father’s world, dreaming, I see His face.
I ope my eyes, and in glad surprise cry, “The Lord is in this place.”
This is my Father’s world, from the shining courts above,
The Beloved One, His Only Son,
Came—a pledge of deathless love.

This is my Father’s world, should my heart be ever sad?
The lord is King—let the heavens ring. God reigns—let the earth be glad.
This is my Father’s world. Now closer to Heaven bound,
For dear to God is the earth Christ trod.
No place but is holy ground.

This is my Father’s world. I walk a desert lone.
In a bush ablaze to my wondering gaze God makes His glory known.
This is my Father’s world, a wanderer I may roam
Whate’er my lot, it matters not,
My heart is still at home.

Do you see it?  Nature, music, rocks, trees, skies, seas, birds, morning light, lily white (flowers, in other words, rustling grass, earth.  

All the things that make me feel close to the Creator are mentioned in the song.