Hiking at chimney rock

I went hiking today. I thought I would get some exercise outdoors instead of at the gym. I had just commented that I should start the stair stepper machine. Today, there was no need. One of the staff members told me the trail I took had over 2000 stairs. I can tell you it took about an hour and a half including stops for pictures. There were steps, steps, and more steps. And just when you think there couldn't be any more steps, there were steps made out of rock, or carved out of the rock that existed. And that was after climbing about 250 ft by elevator prior to the hike. But the views were amazing. Nothing at the gym compares to the beauty in the earth that God has put there for our enjoyment. I just had to share some of the marvel outdoors that intrigues me about fall. Just check out the minor details in that leaf. Each color brilliant of its own and yet God wove them together for my enjoyment, if only for a few days, to fall to the earth and become dust again. And each spot that exists just draws my eyes to the beauty beyond it, with all the more awe knowing that God could have struck it to the earth as brown or black as each of those spots. Yet he doesn't. Kind of like me. Yeah I have spots of failure, injury caused by others or myself and yet God does not allow me to be a discolored blackend blob. He takes time in each season to light my life with gifts that color my life. I need only to take my eyes off the spots to see the beauty and awe of his work in my life. And as I was reminded this week at church... there is a time and a season for everything under the sun. I can't wait to see the beauty of the next season ahead of me. God how can I ever thank you for your grace and love? Help me to take moments to acknowledge your works in my life and the lives around me.