The twilight is so beautiful tonight, quiet and cool. The cardinals are eating a late supper, a lone dove perched in her pink high heels on the edge of the birdbath is drinking water. Mother Nature is mixing her watercolors getting ready to paint a magnificent rendering of the day’s demise. The sun walked down the horizon on the arm of Father Sky leaving a golden trail of light to color the horizon. Mother Nature has stroked pink champagne all across the sky and touched the pulled cotton clouds with shades of aqua and purple, blue and gray. Now as I watch her paint brushes, Mother Nature watercolors the clouds crowns hot pink, so beautiful to see. As twilight goes dim, dusk darkens the day and I leave the swing and enter the house.

I have enjoyed watching all the butterflies dancing in my yard today, their stage a beautiful little flower bed of colorful zinnias. The butterflies have folded their wings now and sleep hanging upside down on twigs, some with wings folded, silently sleep in the brush under the old water oak. The hummingbirds are enjoying the zinnias’ and petunias’ nectar, too. I hope to capture them on film one day. I watched a hummingbird and a gulf fritillary butterfly dance on the same zinnia bloom late afternoon. I’m going to start sitting in the white double rocking chair beside the zinnias so I can capture the hummingbird ballet recital.

Today’s quote in my 365 Days of Wonder quote book is from English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson, “Nothing in nature is unbeautiful.” I think Tennyson is telling us all nature is beautiful even though it might not conform to our ideas of beautifulness. Maybe we humans see ugliness where there is none in the eyes of nature. Scripture teaches us that God does not concern himself with physical appearance. 1 Samuel 16:7 reads, “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”

“If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere.” — Vincent Van Gogh

We humans are so judgmental about outward appearance but God always looks straight into the heart. In 1 Peter 3:3-4 scripture tells us to “let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” RC Sproul wrote, “Beauty is not an arbitrary human invention; it is a reflection of the glory of God. It is the divine fingerprint on the created world.”

I think the earth’s beauty evokes feelings of worship, makes us see God as the father of creation. Blake Long wrote, “All beauty points to God. It reflects God’s nature as infinitely beautiful — when we see something beautiful we direct our gaze (or at least should) to the most beautiful one.” I’ve written many times of the beauty of the sunsets. I don’t see how anyone can look at that glorious scene and not experience and feel the wonder of a loving God.

There are so many beautiful things on this earth. We experience them through our lives usually not even realizing they are gifts from a loving God. I’m thinking of the beauty of living in this world — the hugs, the smiles from those we love, the fall leaves, the birth of our children, the night’s starry sky with a luminious moon, the colorful sunrises and sunsets, the love of a dog, a delicious meal, a hot cup of coffee, the morning bird symphonies, a ripe tomato from the garden, friendship, laughter, the sun on our face, the warm sandy beach of an ocean, the passion of a loving marriage, grandchildren, the smell of rain, zinnias, butterflies and songbirds, a good night’s rest… and gratitude. “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds,” Psalm 9:1.

“Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength that will endure as long as life lasts.” — Rachel Carson