How Beautiful

Ecclesiastes 3:11a
He has made everything beautiful in its time.

Isaiah 52:7
How beautiful on the mountains
are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
who bring good tidings,
who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
“Your God reigns!”

Typical for a teenage girl—I thought I was ugly. 

I giggled over Tiger Beat and 'Teen magazines and plastered posters of the Mod Squad, Brady Bunch, and the Monkees on my bedroom walls. Even though the celebrity rags were much more innocent in my time, they were covered with what Hollywood considered beautiful people.

As a tomboy, growing up in the country, I knew I'd never look like any of the beauties who graced the screen. I wasn't skinny (anyone remember a model called Twiggy,) my clothes were determined by our high school's strict dress code, girls in dresses and boys in business casual. We wore our hair long and straight and had some interesting eye wear.

All I wanted was to dress in my bell bottoms, sneakers, and t-shirts.

Even as I read about Bobby Sherman and Marcia Brady, I also learned about a man called Jesus. On Wednesday and Sunday evenings our youth leaders shared Bible verses about true beauty that blossoms from the inside out. They watered us like flowers with verses about joy, love, kindness, faith, and peace.

It took me years to truly accept the beauty the Holy Spirit planted in my heart and to understand that "pretty" blooms from within. There's nothing wrong with looking nice, neat, and clean. But the outward appearance is only a fraction of true beauty.

I'm thankful those adults brought the "good news" of Jesus to us.

Sharing about Jesus love and grace, and the eternal hope I have in him opens my soul. Living a life where Jesus shines through me wherever I'm planted reflects the wonder of daily life with him. My outward appearance may not be Hollywood standards, but my heart is filled with the beauty of Jesus' love and grace. I pray I mirror Him in all I do. 

"If only our eyes saw souls instead of bodies. How very different our ideals of beauty would be." ~Unknown

Seek Jesus and share his beautiful story.

Laugh with the Flowers

I love this time of year because my flowers are laughing with color.

God created so much beauty for us to enjoy. 

When I stop and admire the Black-eyed Susans, zinnias, and lavender, 

I find balance to the stresses of daily life. 

I smile and sometimes even laugh.

Their glory reminds me to acknowledge the one who created them.

Praise God for his amazing creation!

The Spirit Leads Me

Psalm 143:8-10
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love,
for I have put my trust in you.
Show me the way I should go,
for to you I entrust my life.
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord,
for I hide myself in you.
Teach me to do your will,
for you are my God;
may your good Spirit
lead me on level ground.

Oh the adventures we shared.

As kids, the neighbors, my cousin, and I played in the creek across the field. We couldn't resist the challenge of crossing from one bank to the other. We'd climb across fallen trees and try not to tumble into the not so deep water. We'd clamber over the slippery rocks

and balance on wet moss and rocky surfaces. One slip of the foot and we'd splash in the creek or maybe injure ourselves. But we climbed anyway. If we didn't challenge ourselves to conquer the creek, one of us would dare the other.

What I remember most—we weren't afraid. We took the challenge. We knew if we fell, one of our friends would help us up.

Seems like the life we live these days resembles the climb over slippery, uneven rocks. Jagged stones fill our paths and fallen trees offer a way out, but they may be dangerous, too.

With all the uncertainty, disagreements on how to move forward, and frustration over the changes life has taken, I have to trust God. Or I'd fall apart. Or worse tumble into the cold waters of fear. Believe me when I say, "COVID-19 is a scary uncertainty. The divide in our country frightens me." Yet I know I can face my fears and stare them down; because I trust in the one who will lead me away from the rocky terrain and take me to level ground. The Holy Spirit is working amidst all the chaos. He's holding my hand and giving me hope.

I love that I have God to trust in, Jesus to cling to, and the Holy Spirit to guide my way.

Trust God with the difficult stuff.

A Pop of Color

Every year the mimosa trees bloom. 

Like clockwork their pinkish puffs shoot from their fern-like leaves.

I trust they will pop with color every August. 

If I can trust a tree to bloom year after year,

I can certainly trust God.

He's bigger than anything that goes on in our world.

And He shows up every day.

For that I am thankful.

Fiction Review: A Dazzle of Diamonds (Georgia Coast Romance Book #3) by Liz Johnson

Book Description:

Penelope Hunter loves her job as the events manager at one of Savannah's premier historic venues--until her ex-fiancé walks into her office with his new bride-to-be. To make matters worse, a scheming social matriarch is intent on seeing Penelope fired, especially if she insists on being seen with Tucker Westbrook.

Since returning from serving two tours in the Middle East, Tucker has built a thriving security company. His work is nearly as stabilizing as his friendship with Penelope, who has been by his side since childhood. But when the lone candidate for county sheriff goads him, Tucker loses his cool and ends up on the ballot--and on the receiving end of a smear campaign claiming the Westbrooks were traitors to the South.

To clear his name, Tucker and Penelope must join forces to find the truth behind a 150-year-old lost treasure. But the more time they spend together, the closer she comes to losing her job--and falling helplessly in love.

My Review:
Liz Johnson's writing is a breath of fresh air when it comes to fiction. The books in the Georgia Coast series host a bit of intrigue with the history of the area mixed with sweet and (sometimes humorous) romance. All three in the series are entertaining, but I enjoyed this one, A Dazzle of Diamonds, the most. Tucker is a sweetheart and Penelope is a straightforward, hardworking, intelligent young lady who would do anything for her dear friend. The mystery of the treasure is fun to follow and adds an exciting thread to the story. The people Penelope and Tucker interact with are quirky in a lovable, but sometimes annoying, sort of way. With Savannah as the setting, you can't go wrong. If you enjoy southern romance with a bit of mystery, you'll love Liz's latest book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Training for the Race

1 Timothy 4:7-8

Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 

He ran the race.

In the 1970s and 80s my husband, Tim, ran marathons; those twenty-six mile races created for people with great endurance. I can't imagine having the determination or fortitude to take on such a challenge.

But he did. He prepared every day right up to the race. He practiced until the running became a habit. Some days he prepared his muscles with a fifteen mile run at the pace he'd do in the marathon. Other days, he called recovery days, he slowed his steps and ran a shorter distance. Some days he sprinted. He varied his exercise as he created the habit of daily runs.

Over the last two years, Tim took another challenge. The doctor wanted him to lose weight. And he did. He changed his eating habits and started walking every day, at least five miles. He lost over seventy pounds.

Physical training is valuable.

Godly training is golden. It infiltrates every aspect of life. Which exercise pumps up spiritual muscles? Praying, reading the Bible, taking a walk and appreciating God's creation, sharing Jesus with children or a friend, listening to praise music, and attending church (in person or online.) And breaking bad habits—like self-doubt, fear, and worry.

Godly training looks different for each person.

Just as Tim made a habit of running every day to prepare for the race, we work to make a habit of learning more about Jesus and praying as we run with God.

Is there a habit that might bring you closer to Jesus? Or one that keeps you apart?

Necessary, Possible, Impossible

We've all heard the saying, "Practice makes perfect."

I'm not sure about perfect, but I do believe if I want to learn something new, 

or establish a new habit, 

I need to do it, not just talk about it.

If I want to understand something, I may need to read it several times.

If I want to write well, I need to write a lot.

If I want to run a marathon, I need to train on a regular basis.

If I want to change how I eat, I need to pay attention to what I put in my mouth.

Do the necessary-do the possible-do the impossible.