There are days when I can’t slow down enough to welcome or see the beauty in my everyday. 

The yelling screaming passionate existance of my two toddlers drowns out my will to seek and to see beauty. I live in the moments of little kids and whining with some epihanies and adorable phrases. The loud overwhelms the quiet I wish I had and think I need. But the beauty is there all the same. 
I see it in the way my daughter dances big and free when we turn on any music at all. It wakes her up and calms her, somehow, in a way I don’t really get, but that beauty of music in the background frees her to beauty. 

I could pause and see the beautiful in the loud with a thankful heart, but sometimes my own overwhelmed frustration gets in the way and I choose to gloss past those moments of beauty in favor of just getting by.

I know in reality that all these days and moments are beauty. 

A rough and cold and hard beauty that builds character over time, maybe, but beauty still and the same. But just saying so doesn’t always help me to see the beauty in challenging moments.

There is something to be said for finding beauty in the mundane and everyday. When chasing beauty is hard sometimes the easiest way is to stop and simply welcome it in as it comes. I love that we can do this. Because that everyday beauty has a ministry to our hearts all its own. 

But there are times when the work of everyday beauty leaves us empty or disappointed or disenchanted, because our eyes can’t see and we are tired. 

Sometimes we need to take time away from our everyday to find the beauty. To recalibrate our senses to the joy possibilities. I need to take the time to find the warm and easy beauty of sunshine through the tree limbs, a walk outside, away from cars and other people.

Sometimes I need to give myself permission to seek out and create beauty in my home. A place for my eyes to rest and be calmed as I consider the possibilities given, changes made, and control taken. Decorating is a beauty seeking art. Creating this beauty reminds me everyday I have power to create change. 

Sometimes I overspiritualize beauty and think I should only look in the obscure places, but there is something to be said for creating spaces that are beautiful, even if only to you.

Well-placed arrows pointing to beauty and ministering to the wholeness our souls. 

A picture, a quote, a print, some flowers, bright colors, new clothes, some blush or mascara, a square (or seven) of rich dark chocolate.

Beauty. 

For certainly, beauty is closer than the thrift store, but maybe beauty is fleeting, like they say. And we can only look with open hands while it all runs through. 

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This is our last week of our #wholemama summer linkup at Esther’s, but it will continue in a more informal way on my blog. I’m excited. I am in the process of making a little facebook group where we can chat and encourage each other. I’ll also share the word of the week there a few days early so we can all think and discuss in slow time. Just make sure I know who you are right here in the comments and I’ll make sure you get approved! Join us! (So far the group on facebook only has a name, but it’s a work in progress.)

Meanwhile, come link up with us on Beauty at Esther’s!

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