The Canvas of Creation

Recently I was Augsburg College for two days of Board of Regents meetings.  On a brilliantly beautiful October Friday morning, I came out of the chapel building and saw twenty or so students painting or drawing.

I asked the students if I could see what they were working on (and if I could take their pictures).  They all happily agreed.  Of course, there were varying levels of skill in the class.

But one thing was consistent--they were painting the creation we have been given in this world.

I admired some of their work.  Others were a bit too abstract for me.  Then I would look up from the art work and compare with what God has given to us.

There really was no comparison.  God's handiwork will always remain supreme, no matter how hard we try to copy what comes naturally in his great gifts to us.

Joyce Kilmer has written a poem that says, "I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree."  Will we ever seen a piece of art that is as beautiful as the tree God has already created?

We are so blessed to live in this canvas of southeastern Minnesota.  Of course, I might write that no matter where I might be if I had grown in that place and had come to love it.  God's creation is even more varied than our ability to copy it.

May you enjoy these last days of fall as we have opportunity to look out every day onto the most beautiful art possible.