Diversity

As Bracken was driving us home I looked out the window at the landscape before we hit Las Vegas. It looks much different than the colorful trees and vegetation on the mountain we just left. Around the world there are places that have even more differences. I was filled with gratitude to our Heavenly Father for giving us such diversity. The world could all look the same and we wouldn't know the difference but the Lord gave us sandy beaches with crashing waves, rugged mountains and tropical jungles, etc. So many different climates and views to enjoy.
When we moved here I thought the barren & brown landscape of Las Vegas was ugly...it makes Cedar seem green & lush! I never appreciated the little green Cedar had when we lived there. Now I see the landscape around Las Vegas as beautiful but in a different way. The rugged, rocky mountains are impressive and the fact that anything can survive here is a feat. I appreciate both places now, for different reasons.

To me is seems life can be similar. It can seem rocky and barren and we can wish for that time of life that seemed so lush and green. The time of life that we took for granted as being lush and green because it wasn't perfect--it wasn't the tropical rainforest. Now in the barren desert we realize its beauty. With the passage of time we move onto another landscape of life and realize that rocky and barren desert taught and blessed us in ways the lush and green or the tropical rainforest never could.

Just as each landscape has its own beauty for us to enjoy, each phase in life has its own blessings and growth. We just need the eyes to see it and the gratitude to appreciate it.