Beauty Surrounds Us

Has this year been crazy or what???   Last year at the beginning of March, I never could have imagined where our country would be today.  

Quite honestly, I've refrained from mentioning much about the events that have that transpired this past year because it is talked about, heard, and thought about by people so constantly that I figured it might be nice to be able to go somewhere (perhaps Virginia's blog!) where one wouldn't have to be bombarded with more of the same.  

So that's why I don't mention it.  But like everyone, we've been affected by it.  Mostly the church and us.  People who are christians and whom I've known for years as faithful followers of Christ have become bitter and angry at a pastor/leader in their church who either continued having church, or shut down a church.  Who either followed every mandate known to man, or didn't...who followed partial guidelines presented, or who followed all...

My husband, like all pastors in this country, never could have foreseen the impact of a virus with a 98% recovery rate upon God's church and His people.  

Some people will never go back to church because of a virus...  

And the hurts that pastors have had to carry this year with having people mad at them NO MATTER WHAT they ultimately had to decide will be enough to cause many to quit.  Many pastors I know already have quit.  

Dan's personality is one that is high-energy, and constantly moving.  I'm thankful for that, since this past year could have hurt so deeply that he would have quit, if not for the fact that he continued to focus on the future.  A man who loves to sit and think and not be active much would have been much more deeply hurt perhaps.  

Dan looks for things to do with his hands when life gets discouraging.  He rakes gravel, he builds, he fixes vehicles, he trims bushes...and for that I'm very grateful.  

Despite the craziness of this year, have you taken time to notice things like that?  

I have.  

Despite the discouragements and frustrations of this year, have you taken the time to look at the beauty that surrounds you?  We each have something beautiful around us: even if it's something as simple as a potted plant on your kitchen windowsill.  Maybe even a freshly cleaned mirror!  Look for the beauty!

We did this the other day when we took a walk down the road to our favorite local waterfall.  I've posted photos of this place before, but I love it so much, that here it is again.  

Despite the weather being 50-degrees, the area by the water still had about a foot of snow, since the forest is dense and the sun hardly can peek through the trees.

A short video of the falls.  I could listen to that all day.

We even managed to get a family photo!  

So...if you've read this far, go find something beautiful to focus on today!  I just ate a brownie, and while it didn't look beautiful, it tasted very beautiful, so it could be something as simple as that! 

There's too many discouraging things we COULD focus on that would draw our attention away from the giver of beauty- GOD.  Don't focus on those things...focus on the beauty: and ultimately, the Giver of that beauty.