Refuge of Grace

What do you think of when you think of the word, beauty? Do you picture a model, a perfectly decorated home, or an influencer wearing the latest styles? Or maybe an ornately plated gourmet meal? Or a watercolor painting of a sunset?

Beauty captivates, enthralls, mesmerizes, and inspires. I find that when I mindlessly scroll social media, beauty is defined for me. I miss the opportunity to discover the wonder laced into my own life. When I notice the beauty of the ordinary, my heart is drawn in awe to my Creator.

When I notice the beauty of the ordinary, my heart is drawn in awe to my Creator.

Beauty buoys my soul when the lies of anxiety and depression threaten to capsize my heart. As I train my eyes to gaze at life, beauty whispers, woven into my day.

First, in the cotton candy striped sunrise, then in the clink of ice in my glass, and an aroma of coffee as it pours, surrounding the clear cubes. Yes, I drink iced coffee year round. 😉 Beauty murmurs as my husband hugs my daughter as she groggily stumbles into our room, anxious for a good morning embrace.

As my feet hit our cold tile, I take in the mess before me: scattered toys, the laundry still wet in the washer from the night before, crumbs sprinkled over the floor like each crumb desires to get as far away as possible from the crumb next to it, tumbleweeds of dog fur, and a toilet in need of cleaning. In this moment, beauty requires more mining, a closer attention to detail. I struggle to see beauty, but I hear the barely audible voice of wonder in this moment: this mess is from my people, who call this home. They find creativity, clean clothes, nourishment, a fur-laden loving dog, and indoor plumbing. Our home is God’s provision.

Sometimes finding beauty requires us to get out our shovel and dig, but it is still there. Beauty eagerly waits to be dusted off, held expectantly in our hands, mesmerizing us, and drawing us to our Creator.

Beauty eagerly waits to be dusted off, held expectantly in our hands, mesmerizing us, and drawing us to our Creator.

I invite you to join me.

I wonder…what was beautiful for you this week?