What is beautiful and meaningful to you?

I love things of peace and beauty. Of quietness and contemplation. Beautiful art, quiet time around a fire to read a great book, and music that speaks to my soul. The older I get the more important these things become to me.

My younger years were spent being too 'busy' to appreciate the beauty in life. It's such a pity that one has to get older to grow in knowledge and wisdom, when it seems as if we could really use it when we are younger! Not that I've arrived in wisdom and knowledge, not at all!

I realize the wisdom in my mother now who used to tell me that I was waiting for something big to happen in my life to make me happy, and how I would never be happy if that were the case. She told me to find the happiness in the million little things that are miracles in each day. Are you listening mom? I finally get it! :)

Years ago one of my sons would place his hands on his ears and scream if we sang Happy Birthday to him or if he was around fireworks or even just a very noisy place. I wondered, especially when he was younger, why on earth he acted like that!

But now I have another son who also hates being around noise and confusion and too much talking. He wakes up early in the morning to get some quiet and alone time before anyone else wakes up. (smart kid!)

Over the years I have noticed how I too hate being around too much noise, crowds, parties, concerts, etc...Those things are not beautiful to me!

One of my children has recently begun watching one of the popular crime shows. They tape it and watch at least one a day. Maybe what I need it a tougher shell, but I CAN NOT STAND watching those, nor listening to them from the other room!! It makes my skin crawl listening to people being tortured, and hearing their cries and screams. I have to put on my headphones and not listen at all. I do watch some movies that are in the drama category, but I have to be very selective.

I have to admit I have a hard time trying to understand why people enjoy watching the slash, hack and gory horror movies. Especially Christians. As Christians, shouldn't we hate death? Not fear it mind you, because Jesus released us from the fear of death, but hate the way it is glorified in these times? You don't have to look far to see death culture rules the day. In my opinion, there's nothing entertaining in watching evil being played out on the big screen, in music or in real life.

I find that the older I get, the more I gravitate towards beautiful things. I want my life filled with them! I now notice the pretty flowers, an annointed worship song, a touching painting, a choreographed dance for Jesus that moves me to tears, and even a beautiful sentence in a book. Or a gorgeous sunset. One day I went from room to room and floor to floor chasing the sunset, going as far and high as I could before it finally went down.

Yes, there will be hard days and times in our life, but as long as we have a choice, aren't our lives too short to be filled with anything but beauty, tenderness and meaning?

Well, I said I was going to tell you about a woman I admire but it didn't pour out of me like this post did, so I guess I will wait one more day!