Today has been one of those days that are hard to improve on. It began as a cold, crisp and clear fall morning. The sky was cloudless and its rich blue made the colors of the autumn leaves stand out with particular clarity and brilliance. I looked for a corner of our little house that would be a good place to start the day


in quiet reading and prayer, and found it outside, looking at the trees reflecting in the still water of our small pond. It was cold, but sitting on a chair on our new slate covered porch, admiring the wonderful plantings that our landscaper had put in just the week before, seeing that the geese have returned for the winter, and watching the squirrels do their squirrely thing, was just right.
BEFORE AND AFTER LANDSCAPING




Then there was a good church service in one of the several Presbyterian churches that Nancy and I are considering becoming a part of, and after that lunch with daughter and granddaughter. After lunch we all realized that the temperature had risen to just below 70, so a stroll with granddaughter, a visit with a neighbor, then a bike ride through the suburbs, forests and farmlands of this part of the world.

Later today there will be a few small household tasks, dinner and who knows what. But the point is that life is good here in North Carolina. Our recent visit to Shoreline was full of joy for Nancy and me, as we were able to see and visit with many of our good friends there. We miss them and we miss the church there and we miss the beauty of the mountains and the sea. When we left that area we wondered if we would ever live in such a spectacular setting again.

But especially in this season of colors Greensboro is hard to beat. Years ago Nancy and I were in Princeton while I attended Princeton Theological Seminary. I had field work on weekends in a church in Flemington, NJ, a town not far from Princeton. I well remember driving out to the town on fall mornings, watching the red, gold and orange colored leaves billow behind us as we went down the road. That is what it is like here and now. Where we live is quiet, except for airplanes coming in to land in the local airport and leaf blowers moving leaves from lawn to street, (where the city will sweep them up). It is also beautiful—particularly in this season. And as we walk, cycle or just sit at home, that beauty is all around us.



And this beauty reminds me of the nature of God’s creation. God could have made the world simple and practical, but he chose to make it complex and beautiful. He gave us land to till and flowers and trees on that land to enjoy. He gave us food to eat and tastes and aromas that make those foods delicious. He made us one people but male and female with different colors and languages and customs. Moving from the west to the south-east has highlighted some of the differences for Nancy and me. At the same time it has heightened our appreciation for each place. There truly is beauty wherever we are. That is one of the many gifts of God. And we are blessed and we are grateful for that beauty—Praise be to God!