A professor asked his class, “Where do you live?” Answers came from around the room, starting with the dorms and various other locations around the city. The professor asked again, “Yes, but where do you live?” Someone shouts, “United States of America!” He responds, “That’s true, but where do you live?” “North America,” “Planet Earth,” and “Milky Way Galaxy,” are answers given. “That is correct,” said the professor. Even though we all live in different locations, we all live in the same place.

I love this little story that my Mama told me from her college geography class. Even though we all live in different places and have very different lives, we have much the same feelings and love for our beautiful world. I am so grateful for a loving God who created this beautiful, wonderful world.

I think He must have favorite colors much like we do. The blue sky in its many hues and the brilliant white clouds that sometimes are gray, or almost black. Clouds that are huge and puffy or whispy or even dappled. So much variation and beauty. When I was a child I loved to lay on the grass and watch the sky. The clouds make interesting shapes and I could almost feel the earth spinning as I watched the clouds go by.

What a creative thought to use water to beautify and add to the landscape in various ways to make us stop and look. A waterfall, how breathtaking, the bigger the better. The sound is deafening. A little creek or stream is so relaxing the sound is like a lullaby, tinkling with its various pitches. I had a favorite little creek that I spent time near as a child and it was magical. I would make little pools with various rocks and float leaves and sticks on the water. Hours were spent and so much happiness was experienced there. I remember feeling so much peace and love and even now slow, small water has a way of calming me and helping me to know there is a higher, bigger power that loves me and knows where I am and how I’m doing. He sends a feeling that I can’t deny. I love that different bodies of water are different colors too, depending on all kinds of things, like how deep it is, what’s in the water, etc.

The luscious greens of the many grasses, and plant life all over, from the plains to the rain forest. The golds and pale greens of the desert. The rocks that are all so very different yet the same. The Mountains that show signs of stress and upheaval while getting to where they stand now. My favorite mountain is a sentinel, a guard and protector to our city and makes my heart feel so blessed to see it and know it’s been here, watching for millennia. It is beautiful!

The majestic trees that sometime grow taller than buildings. Their strength is evident by their stature. Some of their foliage turning shades of gold, red, orange and brown, before the fall in Autumn, a witness of the cycles of life we all go through. We went to visit Vermont this fall and the scenery was so lush and speckled with so much color. Wow! I had another feeling while viewing the trees and leaves that God loves us so much to give us the seasons. Season’s give us a different way to view the same place. It is good to see things from a different perspective. It’s good to have different challenges too. We’ve been in a drought, our lawn was not the usual green, plush grass that we usually get to see and sit on, and the grand kids play on. It makes me appreciate the water. The abundance of water. I hope we can have a green lawn and flowers next summer. I am so grateful for nature.

Fresh tomatoes from the garden are a favorite of ours. We eat them almost every day in the summer. It is amazing to see the gardens full of vegetables and the trees full of fruits. What bounty. Flowers are my favorite though. I love to look at the tiniest detail of each flower. While hiking with my sweetie, we found a tiny little white flower on the trail as I stopped to look, I noticed that the petals were shaped like hearts. I felt His love right then. A little testimony of Gods love. Flowers gladden the heart. They bring a smile to your face. You can feel a warmth and amazement for the tiny details. The colors are so wonderful. The smell is the best. When I worked at the flower shop I was amazed that the best smelling flower to me was called Stock. Just a random average name for something that smell amazing. I think God loves hearts, and stars.

Stars when you’re camping are the best. You’re out away from city lights. Sometimes you can even see our Milky Way Galaxy. It makes you feel small in the immenseness of space. Small, but loved and significant. The Big Dipper, the Little Dipper, Orion, the North Star. I have a soft spot for the North Star, because it reminds me of my Daddy. He’s a light in my life and following him has always lead to good things, good decisions and happiness. It’s because he has always followed our Savior.

Animals are precious. Even big ferocious animals like lions and hippos are so soft and gentle with their babies. Some animals are majestic. Watching a tiger or giraffe walking is a sight to see. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t smile when they are holding a puppy or a kitten. Our silly little pup is so fun, and annoying, she wants to come sit by me, and when I call her to come up, she just looks at me. It’s funny and she cracks me up. I call her my therapy dog, because she loves me and I love her, and snuggles are very nice. All of the different species of animals, rodents, birds, fish, reptiles are so interesting and fun to see and learn about.

The Sun is the most important. It gives us light and warms us. I struggle with the shorter days in the winter. In fact as we get closer to the Winter Solstice, I am even more grateful for light. There is a sweet hymn that encourages sharing the light you have inside you.

When the days are gloomy, Sing some happy song; Meet the world’s repining With a courage strong. Go with faith undaunted Thru the ills of life; Scatter smiles and sunshine O’er its toil and strife.

Sometimes living on this beautiful world, our earth is tough. Even though it’s hard, I am ever grateful for the opportunity to live here and have the experiences that life gives me. Focusing on that is best. If you think about it, the whole world testifies of Gods Infinite love for us. I am so grateful for this wonderful world.