for the beauty of the earth

I find that I can’t walk around lately without ending up with a thick stack of leaves between my fingers.  I just can’t walk, or run by those bright bursts of color scattered at my feet without stopping to gather them up, to look deep into their beauty.  All my big books are bursting with pressed leaves beneath the pages.  I put some modge podge on some of them last weekend with the kids, but I haven’t made a dent.  I’m so thankful for the way my iPhone can capture some of the beauty so that my house doesn’t burst open with all the nature debris that I’m desperately trying to capture. Even these phone pictures spill out beauty and they don’t do the real thing justice.

Basically,  I’m overwhelmed lately by god’s artistry.Evidence of His love seems like it’s shouting out to me.  It lies over and around me, scooping me up into joy.    In colors and air and smells and crisp leaves crunching underfoot.  A circular rainbow overhead, the reflection of autumn's glory in a puddle.  I feel covered in it lately.  My kids called me outside to see this miracle rainbow, straight above us in the air.  I think it might be a little ridiculous how much this tree at the end of our road makes me happy.  I nearly drive off the road every time this flaming tree comes into view. 

I love how autumn proceeds thanksgiving and then thanksgiving proceeds Christmas.  The progression of it all helps me focus on how blessed this world is.  I find myself singing this hymn to myself when I grab a minute to soak it all in.

For the Beauty of the Earth

For the beauty of the earth

For the glory of the skies,

For the love which from our birth

Over and around us lies:

 

Refrain:

'Lord of all, to Thee we raise

this our joyful hymn of praise.

 

For the beauty of each hour

Of the day and of the night,

Hill and vale and tree and flow'r

Sun and Moon and stars of light

 

Refrain

 

For the joy of human love,

Brother, sister, parent, child.

Friends on earth and friends above

For all gentle thoughts and mild.

 

I get choked up by the line:  love, which from our birth, over and around us lies.  I love how universal this is.  Everyone, no matter their birth or circumstance is surrounded by this beauty of the earth.  It will remind us of God’s love for us if we let it. 

I’m going to do my best this thanksgiving season to really see all the beauty and evidence of love around me.