Sitting at home one Sunday afternoon with my husband and son, I suddenly realized what kind of day it was turning out to be. We were all cranky and stressed. Nothing seemed right. I was boiling on the inside...stressing of budgets, the cleanliness of the house, the dog chewing up everything in sight...it was all too much for me.
We decided at a moment's notice to go to the Smokey Mountains...about a 40 minute drive for us. After arriving we drove around the 11 mile loop of
Cades Cove. It was a gorgeous day. The temperature was perfect...not too hot and not too cool. We rolled down the windows and had our trigger-finger on the camera at all times!
Why did we do this? Why did we suddenly feel stress roll off of us as if we were the richest, cleanest, dogless people in the world? This is my theory...
WE NEED BEAUTY. God loves beautiful things and made us to love it as well. Why else would he stress that we think about beautiful things? Philippians 4:8 says "
Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."
Our creator made us to desire lovely things. He wants us to think about them. I don't think that we are suppose to ignore the unlovely things in life, but we aren't suppose to dwell on them long and hard either. Why? We just weren't created to. The cares of life should be rolled over into His more-than capable hands...and we are just to think about things that are honest, pure and lovely...in other words,
TRUST HIM.
God created such a beautiful earth...every part of the world has it's beauty and how many times have you heard someone say, "This looks like a painting", when they see lovely scenery? I've often wondered, and have heard others ask, what is art good for? Most of it is not useful, not needed for anything...yet people...many people...
love art. I know that I have been known to swoon over a beautiful landscape or still life in my time. Why? Because beauty relieves stress and gives us joy. And, I truly believe it gives God joy too. Enjoy what you see and think about it. Dwell on it and most of all be thankful for it. Take a drive and notice a beautiful tree, or landscape. Or go to an art gallery and stare at beauty. We need it...at least I do. So next time you get overwhelmed by daily stresses just try saying, "
Renoir, take me away!"
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