In the way of Beauty

Spring is not always an easy season. Especially in Indiana as we sit in the brownness of March. We still see the dormancy of winter around every corner. There isn’t much springing new life unless we have an abnormally warm march. Even then, most of the time it is new shoots of a flower encased in the excitement of what is to come one day and snow the next.  It seems like every other day is bitterly cold and some type of moisture is in the air.  You just never know what the day is going to bring. We are coming out of a season that people just loath. If we are totally and completely honest we will be complaining until the sun is shining and it is consistently 80 degrees. Even I, one who loves winter, there is something about March that hinders my joy. I still know what is to come but the back and forth: its so beautiful….I think its coming….oh wait here is another blanket of snow……yay it is 68 degrees and sunny….. ugh, its raining with 65 mph winds. It does something to your mental capacity to remain joy filled. We may not agree on the weather or what we enjoy but we can definitely all agree the back and forth we all don’t like!

I read a quote today: 

“I can choose to put myself in the way of beauty.  I’ve decided it is part of my job as a child of God to do so, to look for beauty in the natural world.  It’s out there, and sometimes it comes right up and smacks me in the face in the form of a luminous full moon or a sunrise the color of peonies.  Sometimes creation is flashy in demanding my attention.  Other times, it’s quietly there in the background, still putting on a spectacular show. But I see it only when I pay attention.”  

Myquillyn Smith 

      I am not naturally a person who sees the positive. I can see about 6 ways that something can go sideways before I see the opportunities for something joyful or full of celebration. This has come in handy in some ways in my life. Yet, our world is full of negative, hate, violence, just plain ugliness at times. It can feel like death. There is a grieving in my spirit. So why wouldn’t we crave joy. The peacefulness of new life. The simplicity of seeing beauty in the world that surrounds us. So I asked myself why not look for it. Why wouldn’t I desire beauty in what I see? 

      Last Year “Opportunity” was my word for the year. I always get these words and immediately I think I know exactly how God is going to play this out. The last two years God of course has expanded my frame of view with how he has shown me these words. This one was no different. He laid it on my heart to respond to all situations with: God show me how this is an opportunity.  

To say that this year changed my perspective is the understatement of the century. I now believe if we choose to worship God….He will and can use anything. Which means there is opportunity everywhere in everything. I simply need to be open to receive. I need His eyes and ears to see and hear the opportunities. So that means if I want to see beauty….I simply need to ask and he will show me. This new lens of optimism was a breath of fresh air in my life. Life is full of disappointment, heart ache and other negative circumstances. We have our share of circumstances in our life. We all have this!! God, said this would happen. So it is no surprise! Yet, He also asked us to consider it joy. I don’t naturally do this as a human.  So I asked God to give me eyes to see the joy, to find the beauty. Life, the world, circumstances can lead to dread, frustration, feeling overwhelmed and disappointment…but what if we have a choice? 

What lens is your go to….lack and disappointment or beauty and joy?  

Proverbs 14:27 “To worship God in wonder and awe opens a fountain of life within you empowering you to overcome deaths snare.”  

The fountain of life within me that overcomes death…living with the abundance of this overflowing I believe includes reaching and seeing beauty.  God desires us to enjoy life despite our circumstances to see the joy in all things. God desires that we choose to put ourselves in the way of beauty.  

What are you seeing today through God’s lens? What beauty is there in life around you?  

 I know as I wrote this this morning God painted the sky with His sunrise.  It was remarkable the variation in colors and the way the clouds added dimension to his beautiful art. There is a new green tint to my lawn that I didn’t notice yesterday. Despite the bitter chill in the air, I continue to see newness in my landscaping. His creation is full of beauty.  

I saw beauty in the way my family interacted this morning. There was a lightness and love in their words and interactions. That simply warmed my heart.  

Last night we celebrated answered prayers and positive choices my son has made on his medical journey.  

Yesterday, I saw the beauty in a babies tears. I met a young mom and got the opportunity to encourage her…. she was doing a great job.  I remember those days of carrying a screaming child into an elevator after a Dr. appointment where you questioned whether all you were doing for your child was really going to make a difference. 

Then God gave me the opportunity to see my near 15 year old next to me. God knew I had recently questioned the same thing… did we make the right choices….God let me see him thriving in life. The beauty of celebration from his Drs on his Drs and graduation from testing that we loathe. This was just one story of many from our trip. There was literal beauty everywhere to be seen because I was looking. It’s like when you are looking for a certain type of car and you begin to see that make and model of car everywhere from parking lots to the road.  What your eyes are focused and looking for is what you will see!!