Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 114 Cherry Blossoms

wet shivery day

exposure set high

focus softened

edges blended 

unlike rain

and cold air

sharp silhouettes 

 against pink petals

image created

cherry blossoms

memory to hang

keep forever

while thoughts of cold

dim and fade

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 113 Time to Pull Back and Wait 

When things don’t go well:

the red brick wall is still red

the flowers still bloom

and God still says

what God said

many ages ago 

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 112 Parameters 

Not enough rain 

produces longing

teaches how to pray

too much rain

produces patience

teaches good use

of bright days

when rain comes

we thank the Lord

when sun comes

we thank the Lord 

Lord may I find

that special place

where the mix is right

and I thank you more 

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 111 How Family Changes the Face of Locale 

A plain and ordinary hill

a nothing hill

in the middle of nowhere

beside a railroad access

where faceless folk

have built a fire and partied

and the remains of a snowperson

lie melted–carrot, hat, and scarf

the kind of a hill

where a senior woman

would feel quite out

of place and very odd

if she were to visit there alone

such a hill

becomes

a warm and happy

stopping place

filled with laughter

and happy easy talk

a place to share a good time

and all because

it’s my family who is there

and they are with me

and I with them

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 110 The Forest’s Inscrutable Face

Nature still calls

softening politic’s blows

muted tones of green

neither tell nor ask

trees tall and silent

taking no man’s side

neutrality of soul

peaceful dreams at last

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 109 Back to Nature With Family 

Best of two worlds

natural space

and shared family space

community of earth

and community of love 

three generations wrapped

in warmth of hearth

hoping for great times

together 

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 108 Sloppy Blessings 

Often God answers our prayers with sloppy blessings. This is because life itself is sloppy. By sloppy I mean not homogenous.

Blessings are mixed in with trials, and often blessings come through the trials. Blessings of relationship and growth are mixed in with pain and humiliation.

God’s blessings are an upward path of life and love. We just get muddy along the way. If we are humble enough to take the mud with the blessing, we will be greatly rewarded. 

Beauty Day 107 Sloppy Blessings

Muddy blessings

sloppy blessings

in the mix of life

growth is not homogenous

nothing in life is

swimming through a pond of pain

is beauty all around

expectations adjusted

there is peace within

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 107 First Ice Cream

we shared an ice cream cone today

from Maggie’s ice cream shop

we will never forget the walk in the rain

and the sprinkles on the top

the little girl singing all the way home

skipping and hopping down  the block

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 106 Prayer Warriors 

Those daffodils

they won’t give up

prayer warriors

of the spring

they blare their horns

shout loudly

when no other

flowers abound

thank you daffodils

for reminding me

to keep my eyes ahead

to not take no

for an answer

The thermometer

and cloudy skies

discourage

when long times have passed

but your bright countenances

keep prayer and hope alive

♦

Find one beautiful thing every day and take a photo of it.

Philippians 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

♦

Beauty Day 105 Seattle Western Sunny Side Up 

sunny day

throughout the sum

of all the daylight hours

Seattle’s western sandwich

puts gladness in the bank

early morning walkers

out to catch a brew

joggers strollers

cyclists 

children young adults

laughing shouting

having fun

some playing

with their dogs

rain behind and rain ahead

this day will see us through  

♦