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Where Do You Find Beauty On A Tough Day?
'Life's short and we never have enough time for the hearts of those who travel the way with us. O, be swift to love! Make haste to be kind.' Henri-Frederic Amiel, a Swiss Philospher and Poet who lost both parents at an early age
You can't stop gravity. It's a fact. If you drop anything, apart from a helium ballon, a bubble or a feather, it will fall to the ground. The only things that do not fall are those that are light enough to be unaffected by the relentless pull of gravity.
There are things that pull us down, there are things that help us to rise above it all. I've been tired lately: my kids have gone through a seven week cycle of sickness, we've been waiting for word of a momentous decision, my husband has been working impossible hours, and then my car broke down. You know the story.
There have been days when I would happily have pulled the bed covers over my head and stayed there. Days when I haven't wanted to be in charge, on the money, at the plough, on top of it all. I have just wanted the merry go round to stop. Paul, one of the pillars of the early church, a man who had an enormous capacity for doing the right thing at the right time had this to say:
'I know that all God's commands are spiritual, but I'm not. Isn't this also your experience?" Yes. I'm full of myself—after all, I've spent a long time in sin's prison. What I don't understand about myself is that I decide one way, but then I act another, doing things I absolutely despise.' Romans 7 v14-17, The Message
You can't stop gravity. As sure as dry wood burns, as sure as an apple will never taste like chocolate cake, as sure as a snowman will melt in the sun. There are things that pull you down and things that help you to rise above it all. Here is my list of things that help when gravity has done its worst:
1. Grace - God knows we are not super human and that we live in a complicated world. He doesn't walk away.
2. Love - Encouragement, friendship, forgiveness, kindness. Someone to wipe away your tears.
3. Hope - Start again tomorrow. Wipe the slate clean, take a deep breath, pray and move on.
4. Peace - It's not all up to you or I. God never meant for the world to end up on our shoulders, give it back!
5. Understanding - Most often, we just need someone to say it's OK. We are not super human and it's OK.
So may the peace of the Lord that passes all understanding, keep you - heart, mind, body, soul and spirit. May His love cause you to rise up to meet your new day. May the sun be on your back, a gentle voice at your shoulder, a safe path before you. May the mountains tumble, the storm abate, the seas calm at His word. May you find the beauty in the day, may you rest, may you shelter in His grace. May you not fall, but instead may you find the wind that makes the eagle soar.
'Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.' Isaiah 40 v30-32, NIV
Where do you find beauty on a tough day?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Grismer on -
I find beauty on a tough day in the simple things.
It is easy to appreciate a fine painting on a great day when you are feeling like you have the world by the tail.
But what if it's a really tough day; the car is broken, your boss is mean, your husband is mad at you.
Then when you are walking to work a beautiful bird fly's by and chirps a beautiful song of hope and new.
Then you go to the coffe pot at work, and someone just made a fresh pot and you get the first cup.
A flower growing from a plant you thought was dead.
The beauty is everywhere , even on a tough day.
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Permalink Reply by Claire Vorster on -
I so get this Michelle! Through some very tough times, there have always been little things to appreciate, I think that these little things can give our hope wings. They can remind us that there is beauty to be found even during a really ugly day :)
Thank you for reminding me to keep looking x
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Permalink Reply by Colleen Green on -
I find beauty in your words on a tough day. Grace, love, hope, peace and understanding to name just a few. I've been feeling worn down lately too. Trying to work full time, make revisions to my novel, and workout seems like a lot to do. But I do believe each day we are alive is a gift from God. Considering I have my health, my boyfriend, my job and wonderful writers like you to inspire me makes me grateful to be alive. So I find beauty in what I do have and then I realize that I can go on even on a tough day.
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Permalink Reply by Claire Vorster on
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Hi Colleen, life can get so full can't it? Some days I don't discipline myself to stop and breathe and then my body becomes this crazy roller coaster that won't stop. Other days, more often now, I remember that in the stopping is the new life. The quiet before the storm. Thanks for sharing your beauty, that's part of it for me, us walking with each other.
May His love keep you warm x
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Permalink Reply by Claire Vorster on
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Yep. The thing is to remain flexible to the wax and wane, so we're not waning when it's waxing and waxing when it's waning! :)
xx to you!
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Permalink Reply by Isabelle Gregson on -
Hi Claire, I find beauty in the serenity prayer... and my adaptation of it. "God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Grant me only the knowledge of your will for me and the power to carry that out. May your will - not mine - be done." I focus on each word as I say it and repeat it as a mantra until I feel a lift. It brings a smile to my face and then I get on with my day. xx isabelle
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Permalink Reply by Michelle Grismer on
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The Serenity prayer does fit in the daily struggle I couldn't agree more Isabelle.
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Permalink Reply by Claire Vorster on
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Hi Isabelle and hello again Michelle :)
I often need the wisdom to know the difference! I've been through one of those hard lessons about accepting recently. Once I stopped struggling and starting accepting, things got a whole lot more peaceful.
Have a good week and thanks so much for stopping by and letting me know what you do to find your beauty
xC
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