Friday's Favorite Five: Perspective

It's another week of recognizing and sharing our favorites hosted by Susanne.   She's posting her 200th Friday Favorite Five today!  Wow Susanne!  Thank you for faithfully inviting us each week to pause and consider favorites in our weeks!  

Feel free to head on over!  

 I found my five favorite things of this last week to be all about perspective.


1. Rain: We went camping last weekend with a group of friends from church... family really. :-) Our first night there we experienced one of the worst thunderstorms I have been in for quite some time. 

The lightening was bright.  The thunder was loud.  The rain was torrential.

In the past I might have become quite frustrated at the mess we were going to encounter come morning.  But instead, as we were in our tent, my thoughts wandered to a place they would not have even weeks ago.  I found my heart swelling in gratefulness as my thoughts drifted to my new friends in Guatemala.

This is their rainy season.  Many of their homes have dirt floors that turn to mud when it rains.  They don't always have warm food to wake to in the morning.  They don't necessarily have a change of warm, dry clothes.  Somehow, during this long, wet night I felt an unexplainable kindred spirit with them... and I found myself so very grateful.

Perspective in the rain.

2. Fresh Cut Grass at the end of a long day:  I was driving home from a long, grueling day at work.  My drive takes me past a few large fields and grassy areas.  It was then that I noticed it.  I slowed my car a bit.  I rolled down the windows.  I inhaled deeply.  The smell of fresh cut fields and grass filled my car. 

I am convinced that so many other times I have probably whizzed right past without even noticing.  That day... I noticed.  You know that sweet, fresh, hard to explain but so wonderfully beautiful smell?....yeah, that one!

Perspective at the end of a long day.


3.  A Sticky Mess:  We had a family ice cream treat earlier this week.  The little guy was given more than we had envisioned it would be when ordering, but we decided to let him go for it.  What a sticky mess!  Hands, face, clothes...

I could have been frustrated at the mess on him, me, us... but I began to think of how grateful I was that we had the funds to buy the treat.  I was mindful that we even had access to the treat.  And that we were all able to enjoy the time of having a treat together, as a family. 

Perspective in a sticky mess.

4.  Exhaustion:  I have been feeling the effects of the last weeks mounting in recent days.  One night this week my husband began to ask me about it.  To learn what I needed.  To ensure that I was "okay".

As I pondered on this the next morning driving to work, I was overwhelmed.  By his recognition of where I find myself.  By his concern.  By his wanting to help me to navigate this if he can.  By his wanting to be available for what I need.  By his love for me. 

The exhaustion led to this, allowing me to be reminded of how very blessed I am with him in my life.  I told him later that night, "Thank you for marrying me."  And I meant it!! Yes, so blessed indeed!


5.  A Long Drive:  We were on our way home.  It was late.  We were tired.  We were ready to be home, but we still had a ways to go.  Had we been closer to home, we may have missed the moments to just sit and take this in.  God's way of saying, "Hello.  Be reminded that I am here."...

Perspective during a long drive.

Gifts...Grace... Perspective!

I could have so easily missed each one of these.  I cringe to think of how much I have missed in the past.


O Lord, help me learn to live more and more with my eyes wide open...

What became favorites in your week?