Out of the Ashes...

As I was driving to Bible Study tonight, I tried to snap a few shots of the sunset distorted by the smoke from all the fires in the west. Here are the thoughts that came to mind as I drove:

When we see beautiful things, and know that there was/is danger involved in the creation of the beautiful thing, it is tempting to say beauty is dangerous. This gives a poor light on beauty.

This beautiful sunset (my photos don't do it justice b/c of where I was able to snap a shot) was born out of the fire and smoke covering the western United States right now. The haze that covers the light and distorts our vision of it is not from something that is safe and wonderful, but something that is dangerous and destructive.

So, in my mind I've started to say I am thankful for the beauty that can be seen as a result of dangerous circumstances. The beauty did not cause the danger, but came out of the danger.

This helps me to see my own beauty, not as something dangerous, something to be wary of, but as something born of destruction that rises above and shines for the world to see.