Beauty matters.

Making things look and feel lovely is a gift that comes naturally for many people, both women and men.  These individuals are definitely artists:  they bring beauty and aesthetics to our worlds to stop us in our tracks and make us think - or more importantly, to make us feel.

In this season of my life, much time has been spent raising little ones, trying to keep up with their needs, their growth and development, their rest - all things that occur in the every day.  And in keeping up with these sweet ones, I've noticed in the last year how much our family's home reflects a very simple pattern:  all function, sometimes clean, sometimes chaos, then clean again, with very little focus on color or decor.  We have a few pieces of art on the walls and some photography - but we don't have much decorate-y-ness going on.

For our family, order = beauty.

Over the last few years, I think I've had a chronic insecurity with feeling like our home isn't as "grown up" as other neighbors' and friends' homes.  But what I've learned is that we don't need giant, elaborate pieces of art.  We don't need perfect home accessories.  We just need the presence of creativity and real life.

It's amazing how bringing order to your home, then adding a small accent here and there - like some new throw pillow covers, or a tiny candle, or even setting out a snack for your children before they come home from school is a small act of beauty, gratitude and celebration.  It helps our home feel warm - and we feel God's presence.  And experiencing beauty, which I have found brings God's peace, allows us to feel more alive.  And to reflect upon why we're here.  And to think about our priorities and what truly matters.

Beauty in our environment comforts and grounds us - and keeps us true to our path.

Thank God for beauty!

Amen.