Amazing Beauty

With feet propped up on the cute footstool, I surveyed the cozy room my friends and I were lounging in. From the repainted metal vase sprouting tasteful silk flowers on a wall, to the simple, elegant stenciling motif wrapping the room chair-rail height, I admired our hostess's  eye for beauty and balance.  Conversation perched briefly on frivolous topics or lurched into weightier matters like politics and world view.  Someone suggested we each share where in the world we'd like to visit,  if time and money were no concern.  Seeing more of the good 'ole USA was mentioned, as well as Australia and Nova Scotia.

I remembered the stirring I felt when viewing a video on Randy Alcorn's blog that week. My wishful resolve to see the wonder he had posted made my response to the travel question an easy answer.
Here's what the blog says about the Iguazu Falls:


"The Iguazu Falls are located on the border between Brazil and Argentina and are on every list of natural wonders of the world. The word iguazu means “big water.” This is a colossal understatement. The Iguazu Falls contain 275 waterfalls along a mile and a half of the Iguazu River. They are stunning. Imagine seeing and hearing 20 Niagara Falls at once. Every second 400,000 gallons of water leap over the edge, sending mist 500 feet into the air. If you stand next to the falls, you feel like you are waterskiing behind a jet. Amazing. The Iguazu Falls provide an overwhelming experience. "

You can see a video of this awesome beauty of our Creator that so moved me here.

What else captivated me with it's beauty this week? Here's the list I came up with:

The silver blue eyes of a friend I sat across from last night
Sound of a bird's spring song
Faces of grandchildren who made a surprise visit to my work place
Colorful, fresh vegetables decorating the salad I made for lunch
A quiet, cozy spot in front of a sunny window in the library that beckoned me to sit and read (if only I could have complied!)
Strong breezes pushing me forward, then resisting me as I walked
A red ball of sun making it's entrance into the morning
Reading these words on the screen at church this morning--....staying right at the center of God's love, keeping your arms open and outstretched, ready for the mercy of our Master, Jesus Christ.  This is the unending life, the real life! Jude 21.

What beautiful things have you experienced lately? There are too many days where life feels rushed or harried and I miss the details of beauty. But we have an awesome Creator who has beauty-filled the world around us with breath-taking grandeur, in little things as well as big, and through all our senses as we live in His presence and love.

Thank you, thank you, Father.