A Thing of Beauty

Snippets of our Living Room.

All that is, is permitted by God; I may see ugly, but because it pleases God, it is a thing of beauty. Then is there much of anything in this world that is truly ugly? That is curse?

~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

I am pondering the above quote today... particularly this phrase... "Then is there much of anything in this world that is truly ugly? That is curse?" Is there?

This past Saturday, our family had the opportunity to help a friend move. Then we had a late lunch with another friend and his young son, and spent all afternoon and into the early evening with them. Both families have one thing in common... the breakdown of marriage... the ugly.

Yet throughout the day... I saw beautiful things... rising up from the ugly... that quiet joy, the support of a best friend, a faith community coming alongside one who's hurting, that peace that surpasses understanding, a career change into ministry, a strengthened bond between father and son.

All that and more... beauty arising out of ashes... the grace of God in the realest form! In light of this... then, there really isn't anything much in this world that is truly ugly, is there? What an amazing thought... what a reassuring truth for those of us who are Christ-followers!

Speaking of the ugly-beautiful... this week I am stalking my computer and following a team from Compassion Canada, travelling to Haiti for the first time after the earthquake struck two plus years ago! I am particularly excited about this trip because Ann Voskamp and her son are a part of this team. Plus, our family is super excited as a small birthday package from us is travelling with the team... for our Haitian Compassion child, Bell Bradley... one whom we'd love to meet face-to-face one day! :-)

Ann and her son Caleb are there primarily to visit the Child Survival Program that Caleb funded with sales from his Advent wreaths... I am awed by this young man's heart... a heart broken for the things that break God's heart! What an awesome example and role model!

So many things to look forward to this week... as I continue to count grace-gifts, with a grateful heart... for gifts from a God who transfigures all into beautiful things... these are the things I am thankful for this week... #1469 - #1476:

:: We are full speed ahead in the promotion of Eucharisteo: A Celebration of Joy... dreaming big and praying lots!
:: Summer routine off to a good start!
:: My girl enjoying accelerated Summer school.
:: A family outing to the Cheltenham Badlands.
:: A Saturday spent helping and being with friends.
:: Enjoying birthday cake with my sister-in-law.
:: Awesome Sunday spent with our church family at church in the morning and at a park in the afternoon.
:: A Sunday evening trotting around downtown Toronto.

At the Cheltenham Badlands.

Happy Monday, friends!

May you be looking forward, as I am, to a new week of being awed by a God who transfigures all things into beauty!

God does not "willingly bring affliction or grief to the children of men" (Lamentations 3:33 NIV), but labors to birth grief into greater grace, transfigure ugly into beauty, gestates darkness into new life.

~ Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts.

Let's soar into this new week together, friends... let's do justice, love mercy and walk humbly!

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Unwrapping more of His love in this world.

Act justly.  Love mercy.  Walk humbly with God!