I took my camera for a walk Thursday in search of scenes that might be beautiful.  Over the past several weeks, I’ve gone on walks with my phone trying to find it and succeeded several times, but I was far from home.  How often do we look around our home towns for sights that are beautiful?

No, I mean really look for beauty?

Downtown Rock Island isn’t really noted for its beauty; more for crime, or so people say.

As I was walking down this street in the Arts and Entertainment District, I was struck by this area where there are old buildings (one of my passions) and planters planted with blooming plants of various types, and I was struck by the fact that I’d never noticed it before.  Maybe this is because I have seldom been down here in the summer, I’m not sure.  Maybe it was because I was actually looking!

When I returned home and downloaded this photo, as well as several others, it occurred to me that once again is a composite of man’s handiwork combined with God’s creation with a glorious result.  Man’s handiwork is comprised of the architecture and the tending of the planter garden, things that require intelligence and creativity that were given to them by God Himself.  Of course the plants are entirely God’s work, but tended carefully and perhaps lovingly by people, as in the Garden way back when.

When the talents and intelligence of man are combined with the creation of God you have beauty in its highest essence, for not only is the scene wonderful to behold, but you have the very expression of the original purpose of God in creating Mankind.

Take a walk sometime around your own town or neighborhood.  Rather than just seeing problems, try to see the wonders all around you and see if you don’t soon find yourself giving thanks to God for the simple and wonderous things that await our notice.