This post has been sitting in my draft envelope for a while now. I found it today and was reminded of the truth of each day having enough trouble of its own. Hurricane Helene brought destruction far and wide in the southeast. A mere two hours west of us whole towns have been wiped off the map. And my Georgia family is dealing with their own mess from Helene, though we’re all thankful it wasn’t worse for them. It took my brother in law hours to get to a neighboring town because he had to stop all along the way to cut and remove trees from blocking the roads. And my little sister is still without power—day 7. My dad had his own stories of the destruction he saw when he ventured out. But all of it reminds me that all we have is the moment. No one is promised tomorrow. Disaster can strike anytime and anywhere. Nothing is for sure except Jesus and His promises. Here is the post I drafted——-
Josh taught through the book of Ecclesiastes this summer in our small group. Weekly, it seemed we were reminded that: 1) You’re going to die. 2) You don’t know when. 3) Enjoy the life God has given you!
Maybe it wasn’t quite that simple, but those were my takeaways.
So when we spotted a wildflowers painting while shopping in Ohio, we decided we wanted them as a representation of this season and how we want to live. You see, wildflowers are just beautiful. There isn’t anything super predictable or any patterns that are sure to repeat. Except beauty. Color. A sight to behold. There’s nothing to do with them—just let them be. Let them grow. Watch them sway. And take in the beauty. Enjoy the pretty flowers. Sounds simple. But how often do we just not have time for slowing down? For noticing our surroundings and taking in life as it is?
Wildflowers grow together in unity to create their overall beauty. Each one worth looking at, but it’s their togetherness that makes them a sight!
In Matthew 6:28, Jesus tells us to “Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these.” And a few verses later the summary is this: “So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” This song has been on repeat since I first found it. Who doesn’t need this reminder?
My prayer for all of us is to find the beauty wherever you are. It’s there. Maybe it’s in the faces of your loved ones. Maybe it’s a neighbor who shares a meal with you. Definitely beauty is found in the helpers, the givers, the ones who share and show they care. But there’s also beauty in nature. Even among the downed trees and power lines, look up further still. Find the birds, listen to them sing. Find a flower and look at its beauty. Find a face and let them know you love them. And remember that God is still ruling and reigning and one day there will truly be nothing to worry about! Until then, consider the Lillies and rest in Jesus.
Love this!!!❤️