Realizing the Beauty

So today was full of sunshine, bubbles, snacks, and drawing. It was beautiful out, I got to babysit two of the sweetest kids in my community, wore my new lifeguard swim top, pet the sweetest old dog, got a glimpse of how mom's feel like while babysitting a seven and nine year old, ate carrots, babysat 2 amazing but exhausting children for the third time in a row this week, learned about trains and cars from Dylan (7) didn't get convinced by Rayvin (9) that Daisy (the sweetest old dog) didn't want to eat her dog food and should instead eat carrots instead because Daisy doesn't like Beneful since it's bad for her and wants Iams-Oh, child- which caused me to go into a semi-lengthy discussion about harmful ingredients in food (thank you senior project in high school), ate delicious spaghetti because my mom is awesome, and drew a picture at the lake after getting very angry and then simmering down to experience true peace and grace. Sometimes on days like these, when I have to be somewhere at 2:30pm (which is this entire week) and don't get ready and motivated until eleven or noon, I do relaxing things but feel useless. I let anger take over, distraction, and start to become consumed by myself instead of letting myself become consumed with God. I didn't really realize this until I got so angry after dinner that I stormed down to the lake with my sketchbook. Yes, I began to angrily draw the dock (yay, it's out and I'll begin life guarding in t-minus two weeks!!) and grumble about how stupid and boring and mundane everything is here in PA, but it wasn't until I sat down drawing for at least half an hour that I felt the true peace of God. I looked down at my paper- black ink, countless pen strokes, monotony- and looked back at the water which was still, timeless, and peaceful. I then realized that in the midst of my crazy busy life, God is always there, he's always peaceful, and no craziness can disturb his beauty and peace. And now, sitting here, I'm reminded of the sunshine and goodness he always brings to me, whether it's in fashion, painting my nails, or sunbathing, there is so much more than the things I can see at the moment. There is b e a u t y.

A picture package of how I began to beautify in the beauty of outdoors!