The Extra in Ordinary

Isn't it fascinating how all inanimate objects have its own personality? Each one unique in its own way--different and set apart from the rest, somehow. Everything around us has character: the styles of clothes we wear, the kinds of food we eat and beverages we drink, the types of places we visit, genres of music we listen to, the phrases we say...

and so on, and so on...

Thank you Jesus for giving us the ability to find pleasure and amusement in the smallest and simplest of things. Life is filled with the ordinary and the mundane--our daily challenge should be to take a closer look at our usual surroundings and everything in them to find something extra about it.

Everything is ordinary--until you find that something extra. And that my friend, is pretty extraordinary.

Pink Elephants

Short, random, moments of utter bliss. Something sparks me deep inside and tugs at me. Becoming instantly intrigued as why this odd little something has managed to capture and hold my attention despite my current activity, I cannot help analyzing and examining its every detail. Sunday: boys holding a container overflowing with small green apples. Last year sometime: a dish-drain full of an assortment of brightly colored Tupperware dishes. And today: a beaded necklace that was given to me by my Grandmother, Clara. Pink/Coral colored oval beads with a soft pearly coating, small peach beads in between each. Grandma Clara gave me this necklace with its matching pair of clip-on earrings in its original box--still filled with cotton balls. On the cover of the box: an elephant. This isn't just any 'ole earrings and necklace set...these are Pink Elephants (the jewelry brand).

I now plan to wear this beaded necklace sometime over the weekend. Dear Pink Elephant, you have not been forgotten.

Thou "Art" With Me

It is true that in life it is absolutely important to never loose sight of "the big picture". But this does not mean we should get sloppy with the details.

Though from far away our lives seem complete and focused, my fear is that at the end of my mine, someone will step in closer and closer towards my supposed masterpiece only to find a multitude of errors and smudges and blurred lines. For paintings and works of art this always intrigues me and makes me fall in love with it even more. How something so full of flaws and imperfections can transform into something perfect and clear once you've taken a few steps back and have seen the picture in it's entirety. We are human. We are sinners. It is inevitable that we will get smudged and bruised along the way. But through Christ we can start fresh - on a smooth, white, primed canvas we can begin our masterpiece over. With the big picture in mind we continue to add to our masterpiece. But meanwhile let's never forget--every detail counts. If we smudge, when we bruise, we ask the greatest artist of all to swipe it clean. And we begin again. That way, our end result can be just as flawless up close as it is far away. Through Him--we are made perfect.

Sweet Dreams

Though despite the current time being 12:39 AM (technically morning), and me being a ways from beddy-bye, I still find myself compelled to write a post titled "Sweet Dreams". One of the most loved moments in life for me are the ones right before bed time; especially those during warm summer nights when you can wear only boxer shorts and a camisole and feel not even the least bit of chill. So, what has inspired me to write about my love for warm summer nights you might ask? Well, my tea. My hot Chamomile & Mint tea--AKA: "Sweet Dreams". Relaxing and winding down before bed just isn't possible (okay, maybe it's possible), without a hot beverage.

So here's to summer nights - to sleeping in boxers and camisoles - to crazy hair - to fans and open windows - and the hopes of a blue skied and sun filled tomorrow. Good night, God bless, and Sweet Dreams.

Remember They Forgot

This morning I thought about how I find it comical when someone says they just "remembered they forgot". Then I found it comical that phrases such as this amuse me so. Why do I allow my thinks to be of such sorts? I was going to jot this all down at a later date; however, for fear of "forgetting to remember", now seems as good of a time as ever.

Thinking of sorts; sorting my thinks. My thoughts at a constant over-flow. Some waiting to come forth. But mostly all forgotten. But maybe that's a good thing?

Babies in Their Bellies

August, September, October...three more months until I can hold my beautiful nephew. November, December...two more months and I will hold another! Will it be yet another handsome boy? Or will the Lord bless me with my first niece? Just think: within five months there will be two precious additions to my family.
Oh, babies in their bellies. Little Abram told me he wanted to rub my belly last night, when I asked why he said, "Because there's a baby in it." I of course informed him that this was not so and he seemed quite displeased and surprised knowing that both his mother and other Auntie have babies in their bellies. "But why not?!" he questioned. "I'm not married, you need a husband and a wife to start a family." I told him. "Oooh...then get married!" he answered. Kiddos do say the darndest things, and thank the Lord for that! Keeps things interesting, it sure keeps me laughing and smiling.

Oh, how the time goes by - if only we could hold it still - so we could take the time to admire without missing anything. All the more reason to admire as we go, never letting any circumstance seem useless or ordinary. There is humor and purpose in everything, we just need to look for it.