Each year, as spring begins giving way to summer, I begin to dread the coming heat and humidity of another hot season in the Carolinas. I have never been a fan of summer, as my body does not do well in the furnace of June, July and August. As soon as those heat waves of summer begin to wash over us, I begin dreaming of the coming of cooler days to once again visit us.

Well, here we are. The page on the calendar has now been turned over to September. Those most loathed days of sweltering heat have now begun to subside, and the mid-nineties have given way to mid-eighties. This, too, is a bit hot for my liking, but at least the temperatures are moving in the right direction – at least in my estimation. I am so looking forward to the colors changing from the many hues of green to the golds, and reds, and oranges of fall. Teresa and I usually take an annual trek to the mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee to view this spectacular sight. It never grows old, and we never tire of the drive to see the beauty of the landscape.

The changing of the seasons always reminds me of the creative genius of our great God. He created a majestic earth for us to enjoy. He created beauty in all things. As Teresa and I have traveled around our beautiful country through the years of our married life, we have such diverse majesty as we have traveled from one state to another. Each is filled with its very own personalized grandeur. From the beautiful beaches of the Carolinas coast to the lush forests of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the terrain of these two states is truly awe-inspiring. As one travels west across the southern states of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Arkansas, there is never a moment of boredom as the topography constantly changes. Then, the piney forests of eastern Texas gives way to the barrenness of west Texas, and the deserts and canyons of New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. The majesty of the Grand Canyon is a sight that cannot be imagined – it must be experienced first-hand. Going north from there one begins to see the silhouettes of the Rocky Mountains looming majestically and gloriously against the backdrop of the blue Colorado sky. The Grand Tetons, and Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming are a tourists paradise.

This is just a small sampling of the beauty of this great nation. Again, showing the wonder of God’s creative imagination. He could have created a planet with no variation, no changes in terrain or scenery, but He chose to make it a planet with beauty at every turn. And then, to add to the enjoyment of His human family, He threw in the changing of the seasons.

As we once again witness the marvel of summer morphing into fall, let’s not be so busy that we cannot stop and smell the proverbial roses along the way. Take a moment, or a day, or a week, or even a month, to enjoy the majesty of His glorious creation. And let’s allow the beauty of the creation to draw us close to the Creator. He did, after all, intend this for our enjoyment and pleasure.

And in a spirit of praise for His goodness, let’s bow our heads and hearts and say, “To God be the glory, great things He has done.”

Blessings!