The beauty of God's artistry in nature - and his resplendent glory - speak to me profoundly

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These people are nothing but grass, their love fragile as wildflowers.
The grass withers, the wildflowers fade, if God so much as puffs on them.
Aren’t these people just so much grass?
True, the grass withers and the wildflowers fade, but our God’s Word stands firm and forever.

Isaiah 40:8

A delicate and lovely volunteer flower in my small garden

Men and women don’t live very long.
Like wildflowers they spring up and blossom, but a storm snuffs them out just as quickly,
leaving nothing to show they were here.
God’s love, though, is ever and always, eternally present to all who fear him.
Psalm 103:15

Another volunteer in my small garden, same day as flower above

Walk out into the fields and look at the wildflowers. 

They never primp or shop, but have you ever seen color and design quite like it? 

The ten best-dressed men and women in the country look shabby alongside them.

Matthew 6:28-29

I took this picture of a beautiful Hibiscus, in between greeting folks arriving for church (on the grounds of St. Christopher's school)

When down-and-outers get a break, cheer!

And when the arrogant rich are brought down to size, cheer!

Prosperity is as short-lived as a wildflower, so don’t ever count on it.

You know that as soon as the sun rises, pouring down its scorching heat, the flower withers. 

Its petals wilt and, before you know it, that beautiful face is a barren stem.

Well, that’s a picture of the 'prosperous life'.

At the very moment everyone is looking on in admiration, it fades away to nothing.

James 1: 9-11

I took this shot of a Poinsettia at my friend, Ruth's, garden. Did you notice the ants?

[A Lesson from the Ant] 

You lazy fool, look at an ant. Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two. 

Nobody has to tell it what to do. All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. 

So how long are you going to laze around doing nothing? How long before you get out of bed? 

A nap here, a nap there, a day off here, a day off there, sit back, take it easy—do you know what comes next? Just this: You can look forward to a dirt-poor life, poverty your permanent house-guest!

Proverbs 6: 6-11

This stunning flower and the one below were also at my friend, Ruth's, garden.

Wilderness and desert will sing joyously, the badlands will celebrate and flower,

Like the crocus in spring, bursting into blossom, a symphony of song and color.

God’s resplendent glory, fully on display. God awesome, God majestic.

Isaiah 35: 1-2

[Note: All Scripture is from the Message version.]