Beauty Everywhere

Genesis 1:1 tells us that God created heavens and earth. Then for another two chapters, the rest of creation is described.

Do you ever stop to think about how beautiful creation is? And what a gift it is? I mean, God could have stopped with a tree or two, maybe a flower. A handful of animals, perhaps that all looked alike.

But He didn't. He created this magnificent, diverse world. Certainly for His own pleasure, but also for our pleasure, for our delight.

My husband and I spent a week in the Carolinas, probably my favorite place on earth (and I've been privileged to travel to some pretty amazing places). Although they're experiencing a drought, it was so green and lush and, yes, beautiful. Then we returned to California, and one clear day last week, I viewed the majesty of our local mountains. How awe-inspiring they are!

Today, I looked out my kitchen window to see the flowers in our backyard, some gold, some pink, some red. A rainbow just for me.

I see character and wisdom in the face of my husband. I see purity and innocence in the faces of my great-nephews. I even look at the faces of my adorable Labs, and I see beauty there as well.

We have mountains and deserts and oceans. We have lakes and rivers and cliffs overlooking amazing canyons. We have people of all colors and sizes. Throughout our nation, throughout our world, there's beauty everywhere.

And to think that God created all of this . . . just for us.