Making Beauty Where I Am

...and making beauty where I am

 These words from Elizabeth's "About Me"

seemed to jump off my laptop screen and fix themselves firmly in my mind.

This is SO my desire--to make beauty where I am...

So many appear to do it so well; so effortlessly.

I, on the other hand, struggle.

Never quite satisfied with my attempts.

Last Sunday, our class lesson was on Creation from Genesis 1.

Once again, I noticed the words describing God's satisfaction at the end of each creation day:

"And God saw that it was good."

 Today, with new resolve I commit to making beauty where I am

whether by music or meal,

gentle word or clean window,

arrangement or accessory;
and to see that it IS good...

“Father, free us  (ME) from any need to be impressive today, or competent or celebrated. 
Help us (ME)  to rest in your love and to offer a kind presence.”
(Scotty Smith, Twitter)

Weird? Yes, I Am

I learned two things that have stood me in good stead from Tom Cullinan. He is a monk, Benedictine, one-time of Ampleforth Abbey, and lives in the woods on the edge of Liverpool, his life an abiding witness to simplicity and intercession for the wellbeing of creation. He said, “It’s a good idea to want things other people don’t want.” (from a VERY good post about simplicity here)

I DO seem to want things that
other people don't want.
I'm a little weird, I know.

But, hey!  It's pottery.

It's blue.

And it was only $.50!

How could I say "no"?

Found yesterday while stopping at my currently-favorite-thrift-store

on the way to visit my mother...

***
"Try to cheer another heart and you will go the nearest way to cheer your own" - Spurgeon
 True in THIS morinng's experience of leading  a hymn sing for residents
of Golden Years Nursing Home.  What an absolute joy--no words accurately describe my heart
at this moment..

Speaking of Words

Gleaning words while waiting in a hotel lobby last week...

Speaking of words (which I did in my last post), here are a few that have spoken to me over the past weeks.  I actually have a post burning in my heart, but it needs a little more shaping before it's ready.  So today, I share these sentences - mostly gleaned from twitter to which I subscribe solely as a source of mental and spiritual challenge.  I try to be careful in selecting and limiting my following there so as not to be over stimulated and under responsive!

• "As long as Christ sits on the throne, every day is a good day and all days are days of salvation." AW Tozer

• Saying "Preach the gospel at all times, use words if necessary" is similar to saying "Feed the hungry at all times, use food if necessary."  Burk Parsons

• “I am struck by how sharing our weakness and difficulties is more nourishing to others than sharing our qualities and successes.”  Jean Vanier

•  "If you want to hear God speak, read the Bible. If you want to hear him speak audibly, read it out loud."  Justin Peters

• “The silence of God is not absence.”  Tim Keller

What quote is currently challenging or encouraging YOU?