The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1)

Elton John sang it: “Losing everything was like the sun going down on me…”

One man’s loss is another’s gain. Walking my dog the other day, we came upon a young man late twenties or early thirties, young by my standards. He stood between two golf holes, seemingly staring into a field of waist-high grass. True to my wanna-be comic nature, I told him he could take a drop if he hit it in there. Without looking in my direction, he replied in a way I did not expect from someone his age or anyone in this day and age. “I’m watching the sunset,” he spoke quietly to not to disturb the scene, which I already had done. Struck by his intentional rest, we took our sarcastic selves (okay, mine) and moved along, leaving him to soak in the beauty of the last rays of sunshine.

Beauty surrounds us and enhances our lives. No one runs through The Louvre, snatching glimpses of the work of masters. Yet we run through life missing the Master’s Work. Even on my walk, I miss the obvious.

“ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the LORD has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:7-10

But I’m walking for exercise, mine and my slightly overweight pooch. I have to keep up the pace; no time to stop or slow down. That is the battle cry of so many of us. Keep going. Faster. Slow down, and someone or thing will pass you, never mind what you are passing so quickly by in the blur of life. God did rest, finished His work, and rested on the seventh day. Yet it is an aged old struggle:

“For thus the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has said, ‘In repentance and rest, you will be saved, In quietness and trust is your strength.’ But you were not willing,” (Isaiah 30:15)

REST? QUIET? Who has time for that? You, me, all of us. It is our STRENGTH. That young man on the golf, so calm and peaceful, resting. No appearance of anxiety or stress. We met a couple of weeks later as he headed to his vantage point. I inquired if he was off to watch the sunset. Shocked that I knew that, he asked how. He didn’t remember me- or my much more adorable Goldendoodle! So enraptured by the painted sky, he didn’t even lose focus of what was important that day, and it wasn’t me. That is strength. To be able to tune out all the noise and distractions in this world and see the beauty

Beauty exists in every part of our lives, not just in nature. Look no further than into the eyes and hearts of your family and friends, the kindness of a stranger, the ecstatic wag of your dog’s tail when you walk in the door, and the cat that wraps around your legs. God shows us his love in so many ways. Don’t let the sun go down without noticing the beauty in the blessings. Missing out would truly be losing everything.