“Delight in beauty is not self-indulgence....It is a most sensible and realistic response to the reality around us.”

I loved this section:

That explains why we can’t wait to show somebody — even a passing stranger — the eagle soaring overhead. It’s why we must grab someone — anyone — and point to the pod of dolphins who, like synchronized swimmers, simultaneously surface for air. It’s why we point to the deer grazing in the forests and whisper to anyone who’s in range, “Over there.”

I must admit that I have admired the beauty that I find in fine architecture. I love looking at old buildings and seeing what man has created. I also like looking at healthy crops growing in the fields, but that is nothing compared to uncultivated landscapes where we get to see God's creation in its raw form unaltered by man.

I have recently been thinking about the new heaven and the new earth and how beautiful it will be when we finally get to see God's creation unmarred by sin. God truly understands how to make beautiful things for us to enjoy. I have been teaching through Ecclesiastes and it really has been motivating me to appreciate and enjoy what God has given to us. Being thankful to him and glorifying him for how wonderful he is, and how wonderful his works are, really gives us purpose in life.

Whether it is eating a fresh mulberry, enjoying a glorious sunset, or listening to the symphony of the wind along with the birds, bugs, and frogs, I find so much joy as I enjoy what God has given us.