Redemptive Beauty

The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely."

Louisa May Alcott

It snows during the week, large flakes, like bits of heaven come undone, and white, it dissolves into earth. I spend the week redeeming the time by redeeming the ugly, choosing redemptive beauty, and earth is saturated with heaven.

A twig becomes art. A mess becomes mosaic.

The domestic clothes Divinity.

And this is what I brush against in the midst: that to give thanks for a thing, even the ugly, exasperating, painful... makes it a gift.

A thing of redemptive beauty.




more multitudes on a Monday... endless counting of 1000's of gifts ... redemptive beauty...

I thank you, Abba Father, for


#1238 ... mismatched socks

#1239 ... kernels of corn in pockets, laundry basket, washing machine, mudroom floor

#1240 ... soggy pumpkin oozing

#1241 ... lost library book

#1242 .... recalcitrant son

#1243 ... boy tussels

#1244 ... dropped coats, boots, hats

#1245 ... lost Latin book

#1246 .... apple cores, apple cores, apple cores

#1247 ... scratched CDs

#1248 ... dusty shelves

#1249 ... lost grammar book

#1250 ... green painter's tape around trim... still

#1251 ... wrinkled mats

#1252 .... splattered mirrors

#1253 ... lost moments ...

... moments when I didn't redeem the time by redeeming the ugly with thanks... I repent and give thanks for these moments... and what I learned from them too.



Lord God... redeeming the ugly with thanks, isn't that my daily work? Because when I choose the work of redemptive beauty, I'm choosing to see You in all things. Please give me eyes to see behind to Beauty. You.


:::



You're warmly invited to share with us your Beauty Challenge from last week , your own motley crew of bottles, your own furniture vases, your own hunt for God in the ugly, seeking redemptive beauty.

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Want to make your life a vase, filling with the beauty of thanksgiving? Become a Joy Finder? Consider joining the Gratitude Community! Just jump in with your own counting!

How to begin your own 1000 Gift List ::: How Gratitude Can Change your Life

( Drop me a line if choose to begin giving intentional thanks and gather fresh joy and I will happily add either your name or a web link to the Gratitude Community I'm slowly getting caught up on meeting all you beautiful folks who have joined the Gratitude Community. Thank you for your kind grace and patience! I'm so looking forward to meeting you all soon!)

Will you quietly join me in welcoming these Joy-Finders to the Gratitude Community?

(Private Journals)

Pat in Texas
Teri in FL
Sabrina in Texas
Tiffany in ON
Nora in MI
Joan (with status updates in Facebook-- Beautiful!)
Sandra
Jaymie

Annie of Purple Moose Tracks
Abbi at Proverbs 31 Living
Cynthia at Girl in a Glass House
Lindsay at Art of Reflection
Peggy and Pig Logs and 'Tater Berries
Beth at A Walk Along the Way
Raya at On the Wings of Dawn
Aimee at What's She Cooking Now
Sherri at Tall Tales

If you'd like to share your gathering of God in the moments... , (please, jump in!) consider adding the direct URL to your specific 1000 gift list post... If you join us, we humbly ask that you please help us find each other by sharing the community's graphic within your post.

Photos: filling vases here with redemptive beauty
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