(from my archives)
A couple of weeks ago, on a lovely Sunday evening, my family and I went for a much-needed drive. The last several months have been filled to the brim with house-hunting, packing, moving and starting to settle in. Needless to say, we were all feeling a little cooped up and a bit worn down. Our days have been nothing but work, work, work...and not to mention a good deal of stress, too. (If you've ever moved, you know what I'm talking about.)
As we were driving, we received quite the surprise...a much appreciated one at that! We rolled down the windows and when we did, we were greeted by a delightful and refreshing breeze. The humidity that we'd been experiencing all summer had lifted and the air actually felt good. Ah, to breathe in the fresh, earthy air of a summer's eve.
Our drive took us to a unique and charming little community of homes on the water. We visit this particular area of town several times of year, most notably at Christmastime. It'd been a good while since we'd been down there, so I'd forgotten just how lovely the homes were. It's not too common around my part of the country to see homes that aren't the cookie cutter mold. Most neighborhoods here have about three or four styles of homes and they are all painted the same color and every yard is the exact same "postage stamp" kind of yard. Not too inspiring or appealing. This place, however, is different...
Each and every home holds its very own style and design. Many are unique and different...styles you wouldn't just see anywhere. As we were driving through the different avenues, I found myself admiring the beauty each turn held. The way the gardens were designed and the flowers, trees and bushes that the owners' had planted with great care, the front doors and walkways leading up to the home were all decorated in such a welcoming and inviting way. Small touches of beauty in unexpected places. Even the nooks and crannies weren't forgotten.
The streets were lined with trees and the most adorable lamp posts. Little ponds and streams and water fountains guided you along the short and quaint streets. Nature was allowed to grow and thrive in this place...it was not being snuffed out by bulldozers or chainsaws. Folks were walking their dogs, pushing little babies in strollers, and simply enjoying an evening outdoors. There was life in this place.
I was filled with inspiration and as we drove away, making our way back home, I was filled with a renewed appreciation for beauty and just how much it does, indeed, speak to the depths of my soul and of how lifegiving it is. I also found myself challenged to create, cultivate and bring beauty to my life...in the ordinariness, dailiness and routine-ness of my everyday. I was reminded that beauty is vital to an abundant life, to thriving rather than just existing, and of knowing the very heart of God. Beauty is one of the simplest tools that we have to make the Creator known to the world around us. Beauty speaks, and people listen.
We've lived in our new home for five weeks now, and it is, slowly but surely, becoming a home. It's looking less and less like a house and more like a home...our home. It's funny how certain pieces just speak home to you. For me, it's my grandparents' old Grandfather Clock that now sits at the foot of the stairs. It's the shelf that hangs in our living room that my Grandpa built by hand out a picture frame. It's having books on the shelves and blankets draped over the wingback chairs in our sunroom. I lit candles for the first time since our move last week when our electricity went out and it created the most magical, cozy atmosphere.
Home is also found in the sounds and smells that fill the air. The scent of onions and peppers and garlic sauteing on the stovetop. The sound of music playing in the background. The scent of essential oils wafting through the air upon releasing from the diffuser. The sound of footsteps on hardwood. All of these things speak beauty in their own special way. Each one goes right to the core of a person, touches a place deep within and leaves you with a blessed, cozy, homey feeling.
When we were house-hunting, we were looking for some very specific things. (And every single one was found in this home.) One of those things were lots of big windows. Our old house didn't have many windows and the ones it did have were quite small. We wanted large, beautiful windows that allowed us to admire and savour the beauty of nature, even when we were indoors. Most every room in our new home has big picture windows that go from floor to ceiling...and it's purely blissful, let me tell you! I'll also admit that with all the nature we're surrounded with, it brings a few more pesky mosquitoes than we'd prefer, so until the weather turns cooler and the little pests go away for the season, we are enjoying nature more indoors than out these days. Seeing squirrels racing up trees and birds frolicking around are daily occurrences here. There are even several bird feeders directly out several windows that we are going to be soon filling up. One neighbor even said that there are bats that fly around when it starts getting dark...we've yet to see any, but that will be exciting! I've only ever seen bats at the zoo before.
As I shared these things that speak beauty to me, I hope it stirred your heart to ponder the same thing...
what speaks beauty to you?
May we go forth and cultivate lifegiving beauty in the middle of all the ordinariness of our days...because they are magical and speckled with wonder, every one of them.