Pink snow

Just before the sun breaks the horizon in the east, the most breathtaking thing happens a few miles west of our house...the Rocky Mountains turn shades of pink. All shades, even ranging to salmon. It is amazing, to say the least.

And then, as the sun rises, all the colors fade and what is left is plain, old, white snow-capped mountains. And by "plain, old, white" I mean:

• Clean
• Fresh
• Pure
• Spotless
• New
• Unadulterated
• Uncontaminated
• Untainted
• Pristine

I love the sunrise when I am up to greet it. Until I moved to Colorado, I usually looked east to see the sunrise...seeing as how that's where it rises and all...but the effect of the sunrise on the mountains has caused my eyes to look west and watch God's artistry in action.

I have lived in the Denver, Colorado area for almost 9 years now and I have never gotten sick of looking west at the mountains. I am in awe that there is a true God, the One and Only God, who is capable of such beauty and creativity.

Now, for those who know me, you know I'm not a fan of being cold. In fact, I'm headed to get some blood work done today because I get downright cranky and teary when I am cold, which is pretty much every day the temps dip below 50. It must be my Arizona upbringing, being spoiled in the desert? Somehow, though, I can handle snow here better than I did in Minnesota for 8 years...but, I do love snow.

There, I admitted it. I love snow.

...from a distance (smiley face)

Snow is so pure. And to see hundreds of feet of it piled atop mountains is one of my favorite sights. It's so clean looking that it's hard for me to look away. No flaws. No stains. No dirt or crud. Not the snow you find at a dog park or along the highway. That's disgusting and the furthest thing from what I am describing.

Fresh, beautiful snow in the quiet of the forest. Clean, white snow in the field outside your farm.

And the beauty in it isn't just for us to play in and see. God gives it to every. single. person. as a reminder.

God talks about snow in the Bible. And He compares it to the way He views us.

Can you even imagine? He, God eternal, without imperfection, pure and holy, looks at us as though we were like snow.

David cries out, "Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."

God answers in Isaiah, "Come now, let us reason together," says the Lord. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

When I look with my human eyes on the pink snowy mountains before the daybreak, though beautiful and breathtaking, my mind only sees the effects of the sunrise. My mind forgets momentarily that the mountains aren't actually hues of pink, but white, pure clean white.

Then the Light bursts forth over the horizon. The color is gone. The sun has shone and shown the true color.

The color white.

When I look in the mirror, I often judge myself. When we look around, we look at the outside of people. We see scarlet, pink, salmon, crimson. It's the effect of the world's lack of light, aka sin, that causes us to see an unsightly mark or imperfection in another.

It's the effect of trusting the Son, Jesus Christ, with our lives that we are able to look in the mirror and see what God sees. That we can look at another and know the same God who created the Universe and sees us as clean, new, pure, is the same God who created that guy, and that guy, and that guy over there...and when He looks at them, and at me, He sees white.

We aren't perfect...but it's how God sees us because of crimson red blood that was given for us.

I am so grateful God puts reminders like sunrises and majestic mountains on His Earth to show His unconditional love for every. single. one. of. us.