THE AMERICAN FOREST

John Muir (1838-1914) naturalist, conservationist and author wrote:

“The forest of America, however slighted by man, must have been a great delight to God; for they were the best he ever planted. The whole continent was a garden, and from the beginning it seemed favored above all the other wild parks and gardens of the globe. To prepare the ground, it was rolled and sifted in seas with infinite loving deliberation and forethought, lifted into the light, submerged and warmed over and over again, pressed and crumbled into folds and ridges, mountains, and hills, subsoiled with heaving volcanic fires, ploughed and ground and sculpted into scenery and soil with glaciers and rivers, every feature growing and changing from beauty to beauty, higher and higher. And in the fullness of time it was planted into groves, and belts, and broad, exuberant, mantling forests, with the largest, most varied, most fruitful, and most beautiful trees in the world. Bright seas made its border, with wave embroidery and icebergs; grey deserts were outspread in the middle of it, mossy tundras on the north, savannas on the south, and blooming prairies and plains; while lakes and rivers shone through all the vast forests and openings, and happy birds and beasts gave delightful animation. Everywhere, everywhere over all the blessed continent, there were beauty and melody and kindly, wholesome, foodful abundance.”
(From: ‘Nature Writings’)

John Muir loved Creator and creation. Me too.

“Look at how the lilies in the field grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves. But I tell you that even Solomon with his riches was not dressed as beautifully as one of these flowers.” Jesus