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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: Write a Travelogue (11/06/14)
To sit back and think about what God has put before us to enjoy is mind boggling! My travels have been limited to the United States, but that doesn’t mean I have missed wonderful fulfilling pleasures of our great land. I do not need to go elsewhere. It is all here!

God has given much to enjoy and treasure if we will just open our eyes and observe. We have mountains and deserts. We have lakes, rivers and streams. We have beaches and grasslands. We have seasonal and unseasonal areas. We have warmth and cold. We have a huge variety set before us.

Across this great nation I have seen breathtaking waterfalls, colorful mountains, the green Atlantic, and the blue Pacific. I have seen regions that are filled with tropical vegetation and regions that are nothing but sand and tumbleweeds and cactus. I have seen tall pines stretching to the sky and scrub growing from rocky soil.

I have smelled rich black soil and the salt of the oceans in the air. I have smelled peat and the fragrance of flowers wafting through the breezes. I have smelled iron and sulfur and pine and heat and cold. I have smelled the aroma of freshly fried chicken, the temptation of bacon, the sweetness of bakeries and felt my stomach grumble at the smell of freshly baking bread.

I have seen sunrises in all their glory shading from deep red to orange to bright yellow. I have seen the majesty of sunsets with pinks, purples, blues, and reds. I have seen the power of hurricanes, tornadoes, and earthquakes. I have seen the rain come down in a drizzle and in sheets. I have seen ice accumulate to a thickness of six inches and snow piled twenty feet high.

I have heard the crash of lightening and huge claps of thunder. I have heard hail smashing against tin roofs and sleet slashing against window panes. I have heard the crackle of the ground as the sun beats down upon it and that same crackle when it freezes and shrinks.

Our God is a powerful force, yet loving and caring enough to give us so very much of his glory here in America. It is ours for the pure enjoyment and yet we seem to just pass it all by and not notice. It is time we all took time to see, hear, taste, touch and smell the glory of God. We have at least eight mountain ranges to enjoy…go skiing, take a hike, sit and watch the wildlife, snuggle up together by a roaring fire.

There are rivers and lakes to numerous to list, most of them sparkling clear and beautiful shades of blue and green…go skiing, rest on the beach, watch the wildlife, swim, fish, boat, snuggle up together under the sun or the moon. We have not just one ocean, but TWO, again one green and one blue…go surfing, take a hike, rest on the beach, swim, fish, boat, watch the wildlife, snuggle up together around a campfire.

Visit the farmlands and orchards aplenty in our nation. Find out where your food really comes from and the labor that goes into producing it and the trust those farmers have in God to provide the rain and sun needed to ensure good crops whether those crops be beef, pork, lamb, buffalo, elk, ostrich, vegetables, grains, or fruits. The farmer knows the bounty God has provided for us.

Visit the native Indians of the United States. Their wisdom just may blow your socks off. Visit the mountain men and find out how they survive and what they know about natural herbs and remedies and weaving. They use their God given talents to survive and have definitely learned many lessons in frugality.

This is a great nation… ‘America the Beautiful’… “from sea to shining to sea”. Learn to love every aspect of it and take the time to enjoy what God has provided! Another line in that beautiful song reminds us that America is supposed to be a brotherhood. Get to know your neighbors across the country and even in your own back yard. You just might be surprised at the result.

Jesus left us with just two commandments… “…and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Matthew 22:37-39.
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Member Comments
Member
Date
C D Swanson 
11/14/14
Amen! Strong and powerful description of this amazingly blessed land. Well done, and oh so true.

God bless~
LaVonne Wood
11/15/14
This is a nice tribute to our wonderful country. I love the U.S. and have seen a lot of beauty that God has made. Nicely written, though I don't think it quite follows the description of a travelogue. Thanks for sharing! Blessings, LaVonne
Olawale Ogunsola
11/15/14
A good description of American beauty. It gives an idea of what America llooks like to those of us who have not been there. It helps also to consider the beauty of nature everywhere we are.