Trees and bushes become God’s canvas for the most beautiful paintings. Greens turn to reds, yellows, oranges, purples and pinks. And for a couple of weeks everywhere you look is clothed in color. But slowly the trees lose their leaves. They fall to the ground where they become brown and crunch under our shoes. Do we mourn the leaves? Do we cry as the trees become more and more barren? No, because we know that winter is just for a season and spring will come again along with little green buds of promised leaves. We know the end of the story, winter will leave and spring will come!

“When man by his great wickedness invites the divine judgments, the Savior, interceding with the Father in his behalf, points to the bow in the clouds, to the rainbow around the throne and above His own head, as a token of the mercy of God toward the repentant sinner.” ~ Patriarchs & Prophets 107

“Why don’t people find burned areas beautiful?” my professor asked.” I stared at the ugly black trees, a shadow of what once stood tall and strong and thought to myself, because they are a tragedy to behold.