5 Days with God amid Ordinary MotherhoodSample

Day Three: Discovering God in the Beautiful, Ordinary Moments All Around

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Romans 12:2

I left the pre-dinner chaos of my kitchen last night to run a bag of garbage out to the trash. As I turned to hurry inside from the cold, the evening sky stopped me in my tracks. In Utah, there is a ten-minute window at dusk when the mountains to the west are silhouetted against the orangey-pink sky of the sunset, while the mountains to the east turn the most beautiful shade of rose.

Rose-colored mountains. Sometimes it takes my breath away. And last night, I stood shivering for a moment on my driveway in the cold. Quiet and still, I stared at those snow-covered, rose-colored mountains wondering . . .

How many times do we rush past beauty in our lives? Too caught up in the busy, the hustle, the schedules of this world—homework and dinner and carting kids to practice, then racing home to get everyone to bed on time. How many times do we miss the beauty?

Probably more often than we care to admit.

But on this night, as I stood with white billows of breath puffing from my nose and mouth in the cold air, I realized this one truth. The beauty will be there regardless. It waits patiently for me. Whether or not I stop to notice those rose-colored mountains, they shine on every night—lighting up the sky, waiting for me to pause and look up, ever at the ready to take my breath away.

They wait. Just like He does.

I whispered a small thank you as I scurried back inside to dinner and homework and noise and chaos. Back to life. On this night, however, as I heated rice and steamed broccoli, and flipped chicken in the pan, I looked up.

I noticed my boys playing hand-soccer on their knees in the living room through gales of infectious laughter. I stooped to run my hand across the fur of our ancient cat circling my ankles and tossed a few loose shoes into the overflowing basket at the back door.

And my breath caught a little in my throat as I stared at my breathtakingly ordinary life. These moments wait for me. Just like He does. ALL THIS BEAUTY.

Ever at the ready to take my breath away. I only need to look up . . . and notice.

• What are the patterns of life that leave you so busy and overwhelmed you sometimes forget to notice the beauty and joy of the moment?
• Is there anything you can let go of? What is a tangible step you can take toward being present today?

Take a moment to look up at least once a day. Notice the sights and sounds of your beautiful, ordinary life. Say a prayer of thanks as your mind is renewed once again.