It's been tough. COVID, riots, election, possible voter fraud, and I could go on and on.
No doubt about it - things have been insane. Frankly, everything going on has made me stress, and I'm sure most of you feel the same way!
So, I have a challenge for you this weekend:
FOCUS ON THE BEAUTIFUL THINGS OF LIFE THAT GOD HAS GIVEN US.
I believe this is particularly important to do once in a while so we may thank God for those lovely things He gives us.
Now, it is still essential to look at everything going on around us so we may be in prayer for our country, but this is something I'm sure we've been doing every day.
How do we take our focus off the bad and onto the beautiful?
Step 1: Get offline and away from your phone or laptop.
Things are always popping up online that continuously point to what's going on around us. News stations are forever sending us notifications of the latest news on the election. YouTube wants us to watch video after video of conspiracy theories and whatever you're addicted to.
Viewing news all the time is not healthy. Sometimes, we must get away from it to get a glimpse of the beautiful things in our lives.
Step 2: Pull out your Bible.
Separate yourself from your phone and connect with your Bible. I find that spending time in the Word of God fills me with more peace than my phone ever could.
Read a few of your favorite verses or a whole passage! Spending time in God's Word can be such a relief and a beautiful thing.
Here are a few great verses and passages to think on:
Jeremiah 29:11
Ecclesiastes 3:11
The Book of Esther
Isaiah 60:1
Psalm 139:13-14
The Book of Ruth
1 Samuel 16:7
2 Corinthians 4:16
Step 3: Write a list of things you find beautiful and ponder on them.
I cannot repeat enough how important this step is. When we take the time to think of things we find beautiful, I can guarantee that a smile will light your face!
I, and some of you, have already taken the time to complete this step. I want to share my list with you and post what everyone who got back to me had to say!
Me:
-Meadows on a sunny day
-The smell and the faint glow of a scented candle
-Music that makes you want to run, dance, and sing at the same time
-An act of compassion that moves you to tears
-A curious look in a child's eyes
-The subtle realization that all around you is silent
-The feeling of complete and utter rest
-Quotes that must be read twice
-The magical feeling of fall and winter
-The sense of a deep peace only God can give you
-The smile on the face of one playing with a dog
Tabitha:
-Winnie the Pooh
-Moon
-Stars
-Astronauts (space stuff in general)
-Baby animals
Claudia:
-The Bible
-Salvation
-Gods promises
-Rain
-Moon
-Sunsets
-Ocean
-Family
-Friends
-Family of God
-Sasha, my dog
Gracie:
One of the things that I find beautiful is the true smile of a friend. I love how God has given us that gift.
Paula:
-God's love for His people.
-Jesus' sacrifice for us.
-Children playing in freshly fallen snow.
Gabriela:
-Fall leaves
-The sound of streams
-The smell of the morning dew
-Sunsets and sunrises
-The smell of pine trees
-The mountains
-The sound of children singing worship songs
-The coziness of a fireplace
-The sweet expectant eyes of a dog waiting for a treat
-The wonderful sound of a cat purring
-The sight of my child reading
-A foggy morning
-The marine layer coming in over San Diego
-The sounds of waves crashing in the evening
-The smell of coffee brewing in the morning
-The smell of books
Caleb:
God is still with us, and no matter what comes ahead, He will always be there to rescue us in times of trouble.
Sharom:
I was born and raised in California. As I grew up pretty much in the busy city, I feel I never had downtime. My days were consumed, and my mind had no time to sit down and develop a favorite hobby that I truly enjoyed.
Then one day, our family got the courage to leave that busy city life behind! As we have begun to settle in a new state, that by the way, brings so much peacefulness, I have found time to garden.
Who would have thought that this busy city girl would ever have time to put on her gardening gloves and enjoy nature so much!
I love waking up early and going outside to hear the birds singing, and the wind hit the trees just perfectly. I don't miss the sound of traffic, that's for sure! But instead, I enjoy watching the busy squirrels as they chase each other and tease my pup. I am blessed to have this time with God as he gives me peace and whispers in my ear, "child of mine, enjoy my creation for I have made it for you to love"
I have been truly blessed, and for all this, I am grateful.
Rebeca:
I have to say that my absolute favorite sound in the world is kids' laughter; you can't help but smile when you hear it!
Hannah:
I find the trees beautiful, the fact that they seem to bow down to our great creator in gratitude! The birds that sing sweetly in the trees. I think the month of fall is absolutely the most beautiful season of the year! The leaves changing to gorgeous shades of red and orange, the amazing weather, and pumpkin spice everything!
Katie:
-Rain
-Clouds
-Sunsets
-Encouraging words and support of others
-People joining together to worship God
-Music
-The variety and color we see in nature
Alex:
The thought of beauty for me goes beyond sight. For even the blind feel it deep in their minds. The most beautiful gifts that come from God are unseen, His Holy Spirit moving through His people as His presence is beautifully felt.
What do I think is beautiful? Through Christ, it's hard not to find beauty in most things, but I'll share a glowing jewel not visible to the eye. It's currently sparkling, leaving me in awe of its beauty. Worship through music. Worship through song. The warmness of a melody pumping through the heart while the lyrics slip from the tongue. The way a song can pull us to dance or remind us of our past. Music is powerful. Beautiful, but powerful.
Samantha:
-Sunsets
-Mountains
-Wildflowers
-Music
-An act of compassion
-Missionary stories
-Hearing testimonies
-Baptism
Every one of you had great things that you found beautiful.
Step 4: Thank God for everything on your list.
We can NEVER thank God enough. There are so many things that He has given us!
Spend a few minutes in prayer to praise the One who created the universe and made all things beautiful.
Step 5: Listen to some music.
Music is a beautiful thing that never fails to bring a smile to the face of those who take the time to hearken its sounds.
And here are some songs to help you begin! Though not all Christian, each of them can help you realize more things you can be thankful for to God.
Step 6: Take a walk.
Sometimes, going for a stroll can help you calm your mind, especially when surrounded by nature. On your walk, look around and thank God for every beautiful thing you see!
Step 7: Do something you love.
This can be so many things, and that's why this step can be so exciting. You can draw, paint, sing, bake, read, write, play a game, and so much more!
Step 8: Watch a movie.
Preferably, pick a movie where good prevails in the end; nothing depressing. Or better yet, a comedy! Another great pick would be a Pixar movie! I can recommend several films: Mr. Bean's Holiday, The Secret Life of Pets, Monsters, Inc., Zootopia, Tangled, Peter Rabbit, Sing, or Christopher Robin.
Step 9: Pull out your Bible once more and pray.
You did it! You finally reached the end of your day. If you stayed away from your phone, your day must have been great! Now, end your day in the best way: reading God's Word. Spend maybe a half-hour reading verses of God's promises for you and His people.
Lastly, pray. Thank God for your day, and thank him for all the beautiful things in this life. If you want, you can use the lists above!
God has given us so many beautiful things in this life. If only we would sit down and enjoy them more often, we would feel so much more rested and ready to tackle head-on those horrible things that are going on around us every day.
Follow the above steps! If you want, you can do it by yourself. Still, I would suggest that you pull in available family members to join you to take two days off to enjoy everything God has given us.
Once again, I would like to thank those who gave their input. I enjoyed hearing what all of you had to say!