mixed-up beauty of our world

My son had major dental surgery and was very very close to being sent to ER as he woke from anesthesia. Thank God he recovered and is doing much better!

After many hours of tense praying, he finally began to feel better.

As we ran into the grocery store to get some macaroni and cheese (his request, as it was "not crunchy in my mouth_, I saw a woman just bawling her eyes out by her car. She was on the phone and very distraught. If I didn't have my youngest son half-asleep in the car with me, I'd have gone and given the stranger a hug or prayer. Well, I prayed for her anyway. Whatever her pain, it tugged at my heart and I thought to myself, why God? I'd had a rough day and then saw someone having a rougher day and then I thought of the local young woman who had died unexpectedly, how I'd seen her mother just days ago collecting funds for the funeral, such a private moment out in the public, a tragic look into the loss of life. (Wow that had to be a run-on sentence.) I felt more anguish.

And then, 'cause God is simply God, he sent a little rainbow of promise. So have you heard of the painted rock/kindness rocks craze? (Google it if not.) I look over and see a little girl find a rock by the grocery's front door. She dances and jumps and excitedly shows her mother. The little girl has such an innocent and joyful smile. I see the beauty and joy God gives us, even for the smallest of things (i.e. a painted rock). Such a simple thing gave me comfort. Sure, the stranger I prayed for was still wiping her eyes and pulling at her hair and shaking, sure, the jars to collect for the young woman's funeral were still sitting inside the grocery store, but God reminded me that there is joy in this world, too.

Seek the joy. Look for beauty. Find the good, no matter how small. Give thanks. Pray for those who need it.

Have a great weekend!