I recently visited the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina, and was as impressed with the grounds as I was with the mansion. Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect who designed Central Park, was tasked with turning 80,000 acres of bare land into a forest. To do so, he obtained plants and trees from all over the world. Three million trees took root in the soil of the Estate, and now, over 100 years later, tourists drive through and enjoy the scenic reality of Olmsted’s vision.

The Approach Road to the Biltmore mansion is a three-mile winding road and that, too, was part of Olmsted’s plan. He didn’t want a straight path. He wanted guests to enjoy every twist and turn of the ride that took 45 minutes by carriage. With every bend of the road, Olmsted wanted the landscape to be a different experience, like turning the page of a book.

From now on, I’m going to think of that whenever life takes a twist. I’m going to trust that God just wants me to appreciate a different view or learn a new lesson and just enjoy the ride.

As I approach 2020, a new year and new decade, I’ve already been praying for clear vision for me and mine and each person who reads these words. May the new decade usher in sharper focus, increased clarity, the wisdom to look at life through the lens of God’s love, and trust that the Grand Architect has planned every detail of the landscape of our lives.

Happy New Year!

Ronny Michel can be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.

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