The Beauty of Sunsets

I usually do not post two in one week, but I had to this week.

Sunsets are different each place you go. It is truly a remarkable phenomenon. It is the same sky, the same sun, the same planet. It is also one of God's most beautiful creations.

Sunsets in the north: First of all I should probably say something about the sky. In Minnesota the sky is a beautiful blue. Not a dark blue or anything, but a quiet blue that warms during the day. Like a baby's chenille blanket. Very soft. In the summer, when the sun starts to set, the sky is a rainbow of colors. It will go from a melony coral orange to hot magenta to a warm lavendar and then to a darker, deeper blue. It is remarkable how a soft sky can turn deep and rich with colors in the evening. The sun is a beautiful pinky orange that is so bright you still need sunglasses at dusk.

Sunsets in the south: The sky in Florida is not the same sky in Minnesota. The Florida sky is a deep cerulean blue. It is bold and bright. Kind of like the blue Intel sticker on my computer. Yes a tacky analogy, but very correct. It is not a soft blue like in the north. It is a blue that slams you in the face. But at sunset, the sky turns a golden white. It is hard to explain. There is not many color variations in this sunset. The sky goes from blue to a golden yellow to a golden white. It is so bright the sun seems to penetrate you to the soul. You cannot see the sun because everything blends together into a smooth, bright shine. It is breathtaking that something so in your face blue can turn shimmery and sparkly.

Sunsets in Brazil: The sky here is very similar to the sky in Minnesota. It is a soft blue so far, nothing harsh. Very easy to look at. When the sun is past its zenith you can actually look at it. Around dinner time the sun is a perfect ball of cotton candy pink in the sky. Sometimes it is more watermelon in color. But regardless, you can see it perfectly. But that is not all of it. People who have visited the Smokey Mountains will understand this. There is a haze that settles over the land at sunset. It is like the early morning mist that rises from deep mountain valleys. It smooths everything with a soft, cloudy blanket that takes the edge off of this rough city. It hides the buildings in soft shadow. Like there is a filter over the land. The mist stretches into the sky and blends into the soft blue seemlessly. I don't think I can fully explain it, but it is beautiful and relaxing, even with the traffic zooming past.

You cannot believe this is the same planet, sun, sky. How do you even describe the view correctly so that others can understand even if they have never seen it? And how can some people think there is no God with the evidence in front of them every evening? The way I see it the sunset in Minnesota shows God's love of variety, the Florida sunset is God's love pouring out, and the sunset in Brazil is God's comforting touch welcoming you.