Finding Beauty on Election Day (and every day) #2016election #adayforbeauty

What’s that you say? Beauty on this day? On one of the most bizarre and seemingly hopeless election days we’ve ever had? Beauty?? Sometimes the bad outshines the good. Sometimes it is easier to focus on the negative than the positive. Sometimes things in our world are ugly and we have to be purposeful in finding beauty. That time is now.

I drove our daughter to her school to take her SAT last weekend. I dropped her off and headed home with a lump in my throat and having to tell myself to breathe. I wondered if that test was going to swallow her whole. As I drove down the country roads of England, I turned a corner and saw this ahead in my view. I quickly looked to see if other cars were coming behind me and there weren’t, so I stopped and collected the image. You’ll be pleased to know that my girl came out of her test in one piece. We high-fived that it was over. I’m not sure who was more relieved.

So much is going on in our world with the #2016election and controversies among Christian leaders and popular Christian authors that it’s almost too much to bear. I’m weary from the drama. It all makes me crave hope. It makes me long for anything beautiful. As I turned the corner and approached these beautiful changing leaves God sent a breath of refreshment to me as if to say, “Look and see. There is beauty here right in front of you. At every turn. As the leaves change colors, even in their dying, I’ve made something beautiful for you. Because I love you.”

Over these next few days/weeks/years, it is likely that things on social media will get ugly and hopelessness will be seeping in like cold winter air through the gaps under our front doors. One of my most favorite quotes from a bible study I’m doing on 1 Peter is this:

It is not fitting for a Christian to spread hopelessness.” ~Jen Wilkin

With the purpose of sharing hope in mind, I declare this day (and any day, really) to be #adayforbeauty and wanted to share a few things in my world that bring me hope, that I am currently finding beautiful. I’d love to know what is beautiful in your world. You can comment here or share on the EPFH facebook page or share on your social media sites. Please use the #adayforbeauty so we can share beauty together.

This movie is so so good. As a writer and photography hobbyist, I watched the film and I couldn’t help but think that Lilias Trotter was a blogger before her time. Her art is incredibly moving and she includes beautiful words to her images. This untold story fills my soul with beauty. It is stocked with many beautiful things. It is available on Amazon.

To me, vocal harmony is one of the best pictures of what heaven will be like. If you want to forget about all the mess going on around you in your life and in our world for 4 minutes, this will do it. I know it’s not Christmas but the story of the birth of Jesus is for every day. Powerful. Hopeful. Beautiful. Let’s remember that He’s got this! He always has and He always will.

This scripture song was sung in our wedding 28 years ago this month. That was back when cassette tapes were used and that little tape had seen better days. It worked fine in rehearsal but somehow between Friday night and Saturday 2pm, it warped. The background music drug on but our amazing friend who sang to it just pressed on and made it beautiful. The video (yes, we had video technology back then kids) makes us laugh every time. We pray this prayer in community at our new church in England. It’s flavor rests comfortably on my tongue and sometimes brings a tear or two. It never loses it’s beauty to me. If you find yourself not knowing how to pray right now, consider that this is how we are instructed to pray:

Our Father which art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
Matthew 6:9-13 (KJV)

And just for a side of humor, I found this in a store in England last week right between the jack Daniel’s Steak Sauce and the sweet potatoes. Or are they yams? Regardless, for this Texan, Rotel truly is a thing of beauty.

Are you looking for beauty in today? If you find some, please share! We need to be sharers of beauty and hope in these days more than ever.