Today, I’m giving thanks for small things.
It’s been a perfectly cool and stormy day. Our first taste of brisk autumn weather.
After the rain passed tonight, I took Buddy for a walk.
We dodged puddles and stray leaves, and I noticed the eerie beauty of a rain-washed landscape.
The city streets were momentarily still, the silence broken only by a steady stream of water from the downspouts and storm drains.
The roses out front took a beating from the storm, season-spent petals scattered across the sidewalk.
The pansies drooped gracefully, like heads bowed in prayer, and I noticed the tiny, crystalline beads of rain dotting the surface of each flower.
I’m filled with awe when I remember that God didn’t HAVE to make the world beautiful. Lilacs don’t have to smell as sweet as they do. Sunlight doesn’t have to stream down from the clouds in shafts of heavenly light. Tree branches don’t have to weave delicate, lace patterns against the sky.
But God CHOSE to create these beautiful things, to display His goodness, because He loves us and wants us to savor the beauty of His creation.
How can we take all of this beauty for granted?
I’m trying to teach myself to be mindful, to pay more attention, to notice more in the world around me — and above all, to give thanks for these small moments of beauty when I see them.
It’s easy to miss what’s beautiful and good in the world when we forget to pay attention, isn’t it?
So. . . how do you try to stay mindful in the rush of everyday life? Is there a place where you love to go to find inspiration or enjoy nature? What have you seen recently that’s inspired you?
P.S. As part of my Be Creative Every Day challenge, I’m also trying to embrace my not-so-fancy camera and improve my photography skills. It’s a big learning curve, but I kinda love how these flower pictures turned out. (Not too shabby for me & my old Canon Power Shot!) What do you think of them? Any tips or photography websites you can recommend?
I must share! And the double blessing came by listening to “Worth is the Lamb” while reading your post.
Thanks, Debbie! I love it when a song comes to you at the right moment like that. (I’ve had the hymn “This Is My Father’s World” running through my head all night — a perfect accompaniment to what I was feeling & writing tonight!)