Wednesday afternoon, walking next door to help my parents with something, I noticed how beautiful their Japanese Maple looked, with its delicate branches just about ready to begin shedding their feathery leaves.

Most of Wake Forest’s trees are about done, but some are surprisingly brilliant in their last gasp. So I grabbed my good Nikon and took a fifteen minute walk to see what else in the immediate neighborhood wanted to shine.

I am reminded – and I hope once you look at the images you will be too – that we are not always overwhelmed by impossible to miss resplendence; instead we must often go out of our way to look for it.

My point here is that there is so much we will consistently miss if we fail to deliberately seek it. This is a truth that creation impresses on us in many different ways. I love how God speaks the heart of it through the prophet Jeremiah:

“When you call me and come and pray to me, I will listen to you. When you search for me, yes, search for me with all your heart, you will find me. I will be present for you, declares the Lord, and I will end your captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have scattered you, and I will bring you home after your long exile,” declares the Lord. – Jeremiah 29:12-14

We do feel that we are in a place of exile, don’t we? But that is not where we need to remain. Not if we search with all our hearts.

Enjoy these images, this product of searching – with heart and with intention. And, “Happy Thanksgiving!” Or as I like to say, Blessed Thanks-Gratitude.