a meal

beauty in a colorful Spring meal

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? 
Ecclesiastes 2:24-25

play

today our family played with a piñata that Peter brought home from school.  It was simply a decorated paper bag filled with goodies, strung up from our second story railing. 

But there was plenty to smile about and beauty to be found.

beauty in play 

and laughter

Today is the day the Lord has made.  Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Psalm 118:24

path

beauty on the bike path

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. 
Psalm 119:105

gardens

today I walked down a street where house after house 

had a beautiful array of flowers growing out front.  

It was soothing and delighted my eyes.

beauty in well-cared for gardens

 

The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.

Isaiah 58:11

sky

beauty in the sky

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
Psalm 19:1

light

beauty in the light on this flower

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

a succulent

beauty in the simple unfolding of a succulent

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

together

beauty in watching my kids work together

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

Proverbs 17:17

art

beauty in the act of creating art 

(not just the final product)

In the beginning God created...
Genesis 1:1

reading

beauty in sharing a love for reading

photo cred to Peter

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 22:6

grandpa

beauty in the LOVE of a grandfather

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure - Stuart Townend

celebrate

 

 beauty and joy and love and laughter in celebrating 

(my niece's 8 year old birthday party)

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 

Psalm 118:29

lizards

beauty in the camouflaged movement of two lizards

(can you find them?)

"All creatures of our God and King
Lift up your voice and with us sing,
Alleluia! Alleluia!" - St. Francis of Assisi

(easier to spot here)

a seed

beauty in a little seed starting to grow

 Jesus said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how."
Mark 4:26-27

poppies

beauty in the eye-catching color of a poppy

For the beauty of the earth, 
  for the glory of the skies, 
for the love which from our birth 
  over and around us lies; 
Lord of all, to thee we raise 
  this our hymn of grateful praise. 

                 -Folliot S. Pierpoint

buds

beauty in the buds of our orange tree

Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so... And God saw that it was good. 
Genesis 1:12

pie

beauty found in delicious (mini) pies made by a dear friend.

A friend loves at all times.  Proverbs 17:17

delight

beauty in the delight of freshly-picked flowers

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. 

Psalm 37:4

 (prior to picking)

fire

beauty (and warmth and comfort) in fire

But now, this is what the Lord says—
    he who created you, Jacob,
    he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
    I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned"

Isaiah 43:1-2

rain

beauty in the rain...

As the rain and the snow
    come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
    without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,...
11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
    It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
    and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 
Isaiah 55:10-11

My kids are now on board to help me look for beauty.  

Today I was driving my five year old home from kindergarten and we saw this growing on the side of the road.  I pulled over and we both jumped out to take a picture of it.

beauty found in a rose

 “ See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these."   Matthew 6:28-29

beauty

Life is hard.

and sometimes I find myself dwelling on all the hard things and dismissing the beauty around me.

 Last night, my wonderful husband challenged me to take one picture a day of something beautiful and share it.

So here goes...

Beauty found in the pink blossoms in our back yard.