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Feed Your Soul :: { Day 21 } While You Weren’t Looking

By Bonnie Gray • October 21, 2011 • 15 Comments

 

When you’re longing to see beauty in the daily grind, how can your soul get filled?

There’s a dingy white planter sitting out in front of the house.

It’s been sitting there on the same patch of grass next to the driveway.
For years.

I’ve been meaning to plant something.  I thought it’d be nice to add some color to welcome guests as they walked up — flowers to greet cars as they drove past our home.

Problem is I don’t know a thing about planting flowers.

What kind would last in the pot… and how long?

When should I water them… and how much?

One time I went to Home Depot and I asked the clerk for some help.  He didn’t seem to know either, waving big arm motions over the gardening section.

I decided it was time to count my losses and find the planter a happy home.  It got tagged for a Goodwill run.

Oh well.  Some day. When the kids are older.

Later that weekend, I shuffled my flip flops over to lug the planter into my car trunk.

Wait a minute…

I leaned in to take a closer look.

Who put these here?

There — in dirt often mixed with wayward leaves that tumble in from branch to breeze — stood stems yellow, red, lavender and white.

Someone planted flowers.

And it wasn’t me.

The Winds Of Everyday Life

Sometimes, the daily grind makes seeing beauty hard.

It’s not that we don’t want to.  It’s not that we haven’t tried.

The winds of everyday life can bring unexpected changes to the best of our intentions.

We can get discouraged.

It’s part of life here on this side of heaven.

This is when

our soul softens, longing for beauty,

God’s voice speaks the most tender,

and His faithfulness becomes the hope we fall asleep to.

Empty Places

If you’re in a place where you’re longing for beauty, God whispers this —

“See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
~ Isaiah 43:19

God is making a way for you and me.

Not just as a way of escape.

God is creating a reservoir of soul food to nourish us from within.

While we aren’t looking, God is reviving a growing hunger for joy and newness.

We may not see it from outward appearances, but God is faithful to fulfill those empty places.

Not just because He can do it.

But because He loves creating beauty.

You can bet God sees one thing when He looks in your heart.

Beauty.

“to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes…
a planting of the LORD
for the display of his splendor.”
~ Isaiah 61:3

Weeks after the flowers mysteriously appeared, I bumped into a neighbor I seldom see.  It turns out she was replanting flowers in her backyard, when she thought of the empty planter by the driveway.

She has continued to replant new blossoms.  So, next time you come by and visit, you’ll know they were placed there, as gifts to me.
~~~~~

How has God prepared beauty for your soul while you weren’t looking?

Pull up a chair. I love company and enjoy hearing your thoughts. Click to share a comment.

~~~~~

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~~~~~

Photo credit:  heatherjenestatic via Photobucket.

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Feed Your Soul :: { Day 20 } God's Heart For You (Giveaway & Guest Post by Holley Gerth)
Feed Your Soul :: { Day 22 } As a Single Person

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Bonnie Gray

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15 Comments

  • Reply Miriam October 21, 2011 at 5:09 am

    Bonnie, this thought brings tears to my eyes. God has prepared beauty for my soul! How amazing is that! His love for me takes my breath away. Today I know He has prepared beauty for my soul through close friends… sisters in Christ. We are getting together tonight to pray and encourage each other to persevere in the faith. I am always built up after our get togethers. God nourishes my soul and I am blessed.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray October 21, 2011 at 10:50 am

      Miriam, that is beauty — sister holding each other up, heads bowed, hearts open. Drink in and enjoy tonight.

  • Reply Becca October 21, 2011 at 5:34 am

    Sometimes it is really hard to believe that God can see beauty when He looks at my heart when I feel the farthest away from our societys definition of “beauty” But I must remember that He does, He sees my beautiful heart as I am taking care of my newborn baby…could it be anything be any more beautiful? Sometimes our definitions need to be changed to God’s definiton. There is so much beauty in my life right. Thanks Bonnie!

    • Reply Bonnie Gray October 21, 2011 at 10:52 am

      I’m imagining your beautiful baby looking into your eyes, feeling your heartbeat as you hold him, hearing your voice, even before he knows the words. Becca, you are God’s beauty to him. *hugs* hardworking mommy!

  • Reply Amy Hunt October 21, 2011 at 6:53 am

    He has planted His gentleness inside of me and when it comes out of broken me, I am simply amazed of His pure Grace.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray October 21, 2011 at 10:52 am

      It’s an amazing mystery, how God places grace in our brokenness, but oh, the gentleness. that is beauty, Amy. Yes.

  • Reply Jennifer October 21, 2011 at 7:46 am

    “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”~ Isaiah 43:19— I love this verse! Praise God that he plants in the emptiness of our lives, even the simple day to day! 🙂

    • Reply Bonnie Gray October 21, 2011 at 10:54 am

      It’s a very special verse to me too… Hope you’re having a good finish to the week, Jennifer!

  • Reply Sharon October 21, 2011 at 9:23 am

    This morning you planted flowers, beautiful flowers, in an empty spot in my soul. Thank you so much. I do so love flowers.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray October 21, 2011 at 10:54 am

      Sharon, it feels so special to have a friend share the sunlight of flowers, even if they are digital. So nice to have you here.

  • Reply Dionna October 21, 2011 at 10:20 am

    His faithfulness becomes the hope that we fall asleep to.

    How beautiful.

    • Reply Bonnie Gray October 21, 2011 at 10:56 am

      *Smiles* thnx for stopping for a visit, Dionna.

  • Reply Katie October 21, 2011 at 12:23 pm

    Hope filled post today. God is planting Soul Food. I received grace earlier this week from a HUGE mistake at work that I made. I so don’t deserve it. I am having a tough time receiving it. I am just grateful I still have a job and a second chance.

  • Reply Jeri T. October 21, 2011 at 4:31 pm

    This is so beautiful. Such a thoughtful neighbor too.

    When I wasn’t looking He planted David…My mother-in-law…and just recently my daughter-in-law.

    You know what I just realized from your post? You tried to do something you weren’t equipped today. You had the right heart. You even tried to learn the skill. Instead, God brought someone else who was equipped to help you complete the task.

    I love that! He just gifted me with “I’m not alone”. I wasn’t looking. Honest!

  • Reply Doug Spurling October 22, 2011 at 9:57 am

    Precious reminder that behind what we see is our Wonderful Beautiful Loving Father at work making a thing of beauty spring from our muddy mess.

    1 Corinthians 2:9
    But as it is written: “ Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

    2 Corinthians 4:18
    while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal

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