Nothing particularly memorable happened this week. Yesterday, for example: I woke up, grabbed a little breakfast, went into church, had a few meetings, did some fall planning, went to the grocery store, threw in a pizza for dinner (no salad because, you know...), and then my husband and I went for a walk and read books.

And, this week was full of blessings:

Yesterday, for example: I woke up to sunny skies and birds singing outside my window. There was fresh fruit and yogurt for breakfast, and one of my kids had even started the dishwasher before bed last night, so clean bowls were waiting! My drive into church is short and simple, and turning into the church grounds always brings me a feeling of peace; appreciative of the beauty of our space and of those who care for our grounds so lovingly. I got to meet with people I enjoy and admire, and got to dream about different ways our community can share time together, love our neighbors, and grow together this fall. I stopped at the grocery store on the way home and was able to buy food to nourish my family. We tried a new type of pizza for dinner, and dressed it up with our favorite toppings. William and I went for a long post-dinner walk and then dove into our books.

The same day, two different takes. I can easily fall into the first take, when I'm not paying enough attention. And the first take is fine, but I wonder if "fine" has us missing the little miracles all around us. Maybe holiness isn't reserved for extraordinary days, and we just need to open our eyes - and our hearts - to that more often.

My prayer for you this week is that you had some moments of realization that God was present in every little moment of your day: a small beauty in the world, a kindness from someone you encountered, an interesting conversation, an errand that went smoothly and saw you safely home. My prayer is for moments of beauty, and glimpses of God, wherever you find yourself.

Blessings,
Jennifer