When you think of the beauty of America—geographically speaking—what do you picture in your mind? In listening to patriotic music recently, I realized that nearly all of our patriotic songs mention at least one picturesque element of the landscape of this vast nation. Here are just a few examples:

* From “America the Beautiful,” by Katherine Lee Bates: “O beautiful for spacious skies, for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain!”

* From “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee,” by Samuel F. Smith: “I love thy rocks and rills, thy woods and templed hills,…”

* From “God Bless America,” by Irving Berlin: “From the mountains, to the prairies, to the oceans white with foam,…”

Let me be quick to add that the United States is not the only nation whose geography is varied and beautiful. In fact, most countries have a vast array of natural or man-made beauty within their borders.

Today, however, I am focused on the geographical beauty of America, so I’m simply going to list several locations—both natural and man-made—that come to my mind when I picture “the beauty of America.” I’m eager to hear some of your favorite places, too!

*The Badlands of South Dakota

*Mount Rushmore

*Dave’s Falls in Northern Wisconsin

*Niagara Falls

*The Blue Ridge Mountains

*The cornfields of Northern Indiana

*Lake Erie (as viewed from Erie Metropark, outside of Detroit)

*The coastlines of Maine  

*The mountains and lakes in Northern Colorado

*The rolling hills of Pewaukee, Wisconsin

*And so much more!

Lord, Your creation amazes me. You have given me beauty to enjoy in the midst of sadness; natural splendor in times of uncertainty—each reminding me of Your power and majesty! Thank You for that. I also want to thank You for the the skills you gave to many people so that man-made displays of history or scenic views designed to allow a greater glimpse of Your creation could be enjoyed by Americans and by those who visit our beautiful country. In each, both natural and man-made, may I be reminded that every moment, every skill, every location is a gift from You!

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I would love for you to leave a comment with one or more of your favorite natural or man-made locations in America!