I’ve talked to people who think that they have to be somewhere REALLY breathtaking to fully enjoy the beauty of God’s creation, such as:
- The beaches of the Caribbean
- The rugged peaks of the Rocky Mountains
- The hidden, pristine lakes in the Northwest states
- The splendor of the Grand Canyon
- more exotic locales such as the rainforests, the Swiss Alps, etc.
Is it really necessary to travel on elaborate vacations to find beautiful things to lift our spirits? Must we wait for those “Ahhhhhhh” moments but once a year, only to spend the rest of the year withering within ourselves from a lack of beauty and inspiration?
(Obviously, the grand things mentioned above are wonderful and when we can witness them can be a great blessing. I don’t want to discount them!)
Personally, I’ve found that there is beauty all around us, if we allow ourselves the time to see it. The saying “Stop and smell the roses” seems so cliche, but truly adds to one’s health and well-being if applied!
Here are just a few of the beautiful things I’ve seen/experienced around here as of late:
- Taking a walk outside on a windy evening in the dark, watching the trees move.
- The amazing colors of Indian corn – it almost doesn’t look real!
- My daughters “playing” Connect Four together – getting along and belly laughing
- Wednesday morning’s sun bursting through the fog:
What if you don’t live in a country area where beauty may be easier to find? What if you live in a city? Or a subdivision where there really seems to be nothing beautiful? Well, you could:
- Take a drive! Look at the changing fall colors of the trees
- Even in the city, notice how a fresh, sparkling snow can make everything beautiful
- Look up! At night, the sky can be an inspiration. Can’t see the stars because of the city lights? Get up early enough to watch a sunrise. A sunrise is beautiful anywhere.
- Purchase or make a small birdfeeder that you can hang outside your window. We have spent many hours marvelling at God’s creation with our own birdfeeder. They are joy to watch.
- Grow something. Even if you don’t have room outside, indoor plants can provide much beauty. (You could always start some from seed if it is not in your budget to buy mature plants.)
- Watch your children laughing together
- Borrow books from the library of beautiful places and things
- Hang beautiful art in your home. This doesn’t have to be expensive. By keeping my eyes out at thrift stores, yard/estate sales and flea markets, I’ve found several beautiful pieces to hang in our home.
No matter where we live, we can all cultive our minds to see and appreciate things that are beautiful by maintaining a positive attitude. We can focus on things that are lovely and good as written in Philippians 4:8. Maintaining an attitude of thankfulness will help us to see more readily beautiful things around us.
What beautiful things have you noticed lately?
