Opening Our Eyes to Goodness and Love

The past two days have been just about perfect.
The weather has been sunny and in the 70s, I got to sit outside on our deck, read, enjoy slow mornings with coffee and banana bread, take my dog for nice long walks...if we could have added in having friends over to grill out and have a bonfire it would have been perfect.

As I was sitting on the deck I kept pausing to listen to the sound of the birds happily chirping and watch the small white butterflies (okay, probably moths) flutter around the dandelions growing in our yard. I can't help but smile whenever I pause to hear birds sing or see butterflies float past me. These things have always been a sign of God's love to me. I'm not sure what it is, but whenever I notice them I immediately feel God's goodness. Have you ever experienced that? Seeing or hearing something that just makes you feel held, loved, and important? It's honestly hard to describe, but it is so consistent for me when I experience these things. Even when I'm feeling upset or angry and I see a butterfly it makes me remember that there's more going on than what I'm experiencing in a given moment. And wow, am I thankful for that.

Things feel especially difficult right now in a number of ways, and yet I am still seeing God's goodness all around me and it nearly brings me to tears. Knowing (and remembering) that our God is in the mess with us, knowing (and remembering) that there is still good to be seen, knowing (and remembering) that we are not alone, that we are loved, important, seen, and held. I'm so grateful to know and be known by a God who is this kind of good. Even on the days when I have a harder time noticing or remembering. Just because I don't see a butterfly or hear a bird sing doesn't mean God's goodness isn't there, it just means I may see it somewhere else or may not be in the mental space to notice it. But it's never not there. God is never not there.

Another sign of God's love and goodness that I find helpful and refreshing (and that is less seasonally tied) is just pausing to look up at the sky. Whenever I'm stressed, trying to soak up a moment, or any number of other feelings I pause and look up. Seeing the blue (or grey) sky and taking a deep breath helps calm me and remind me that God is good. ::inhale::exhale::
I don't know about you, but I'm soaking in all the "good" moments I can right now. But no matter what, I'm just thankful to know that God is good even between my moments of noticing.

What signs help you see or feel God's love and goodness? I encourage you to take a few minutes to reflect on that today and see what you become aware of 💛

Peace, friends.



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