Unexpected beauty

Wow, friends. We are “in the middle” of unprecedented times right now, aren’t we? “Coronapocalypse 2020” as my husband calls it. It’s been a few weeks now and across the world we are ALL adjusting, grieving disappointments, recalibrating, social distancing, and trying to make sense of it all. In the dark corners fear, sickness, isolation, selfishness, and confusion rise and we live day to day wondering what will happen next.

A few weeks ago, before this reality, I was out for my early morning routine walk. It’s become a habit to rise before my kids (and often before the sun), throw on a pair of tennis shoes and circle the neighborhood praying for the day and my loved ones. In the cool morning air I walked, and somehow life seemed a little quieter that day. Keeping a brisk pace I listen to the birds chirp and watched the sun rise over the trees.

Approaching a familiar street corner, my eye was drawn to a bright yellow splash of color ahead. The morning rays of the sun almost created a spotlight on this one particular sunflower demanding my attention.

It was early February, definitely not sunflower season, and there amidst the brown, dead leaves and vines (who had gone dormant for winter) rose this skinny, valiant sunflower showing off it’s happy, yellow glow. It was strangely out of place. I knew for a moment I needed to take this image in. These verses came to mind…

"The Sovereign Lord is one me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor...to comfort all who mourn..to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes." Isaiah 61:1-3

"The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy. But I have come that you may have life, and life abundantly." John 10:10

It seems that through this little skinny sunflower God was preemptively trying to teach me a lesson. It is certainly easy to be overwhelmed by the heartache and difficulties around us. But amidst it all- there is beauty. He is creating LIFE from death, He is the artist of all that is beautiful.

Unexpected beauty. Psychologists are saying that gratitude is the best antidote to fear. How do we train our eyes to look for His handiwork around us, His beauty and be grateful?

Yesterday, we had our kids participate in this exercise in gratitude. I was amazed to see what our 9 year old daughter wrote.

Though it seems like we’re surrounded by sickness, darkness, and fear- there is hidden beauty if we “put on a new pair of glasses.” It’s in the birds chirping, oblivious that the human race is caught up in such a time. It’s in the rain that replenishes the dry ground and causes new life to sprout. It’s in the laughter of resilient, creative children stuck at home another day. It’s in stories of people finding ways to serve each other and connect; like the story of the quarantined Italians who opened their windows and joined together in song from their homes of quarantine, or the people who are serving the elderly in our community. These are the ways of God- making all things new and creating unexpected beauty.

Let’s be on the lookout for signs of beauty around us today that we can thank God for. Put on those glasses. It’s evidence that He is in our midst and the story isn’t over yet.