Joy, Peace, Beauty

Do you have joy, peace, and beauty in your life? What brings me joy, peace, and a sense of beauty may be totally different in your world. We are all different in our likes and dislikes, and we are all different in what moves us. That's O.K. Because it would be a very boring world if we were all cookie cutter shapes. As I get older I find joy, peace and beauty in so many things. I find that God has blessed me with a great deal of sensitivity to my world. When I was younger, and had yet to become a child of God, I drifted through life wanting the best of everything. That meant material, worldly things. I was so busy making me happy(I thought), that I didn't stop to enjoy the small things in my life.

I was not sensitive to people around me, I did not take time to enjoy the world God fashioned around me. I saw the sunset, I saw flowers, blue skies, and even friends everyday, but it was always at the very edge of my conscious world. If I was not at the center, and I wasn't buying it, it wasn't noticed, or important. I am so grateful that that was the first half of my life. In this, the second half, I became God's daughter, I have His free gift of salvation, and I have His joy, His peace, and His beauty!  You know how relaxing and mesmerizing a fire in a fireplace or campfire can be, and that overwhelming peace is now with me in so many areas. Just as those flames dance and flutter, and relax me, they are one of the things that I relate to so many things in my world....Now.  I can be at peace because I know that no matter what my life holds for me, God is in charge. He sees all my days before a single one comes to me. That gives me great joy, and peace.

I love sunrises and sunsets. I marvel at all God's creation. Have you looked a a flower....really looked at it. It is delicately formed, put together beautifully, and each petal has amazing veins, and colors, and is joined by all the other petals to make a whole flower. Looking at one of those brilliant blue skies, not a cloud in sight, I realize only God could make such brilliant color. Hearing birds singing in the early morning in Spring is a joy, seeing green grass, bunnies in the yard, and a puppy laying in a patch of sunlight, are joyful and peaceful, beautiful moments. Watching an innocent baby's face as they sleep is a joy, and God designed those little ones. There are so many things of beauty in my world, and just seeing them can bring me to tears. Music is another joy. I love beautiful show tunes, Country classics, Cajun, and Classical. Praise and worship music especially favorites,

choke me up with the beauty of the words.

Joy, peace, and beauty are my world. God has given me two gifts besides eternal life with Him. They are the ultimate in that joy, peace, and beauty. He has gifted me with compassion and empathy for others. If someone around me is hurting, I will know, I will be there with prayers and hugs. If I can help someone else, or share my struggles and solutions with someone else, I am at peace. It gives me joy. I have been blessed with family and friends who are there for me, and I know what it is to hurt, physically, mentally, and spiritually. If what God brought me through is a help to someone else, that is a huge blessing for me. The other gift is my writing. God has allowed me to use my words to reach others. Books were always a joy in my life as I grew up an only child. Books were my friends. Now to maybe reach someone else with encouragement, humor, or whatever God gives me to share is for me the ultimate in being joyful, peaceful, and able to  share the beauty of my world. What makes you joyful, and peaceful? What beauty do you see? I pray that for each of you there is the joy, peace and beauty of the life God has given you!