Thursday, March 24, 2011

Beauty Refreshes


Thank you for sharing of your hearts here. I have been praying and will continue to remember you to the Lord. Your prayers are a gift and I felt them today!

I can't get enough of these tulips ~ they are just nourishing such a starving place in me as they create a small sense of beauty and peace in a life that seems chaotic. They are quiet, graceful, beautiful, delicate, peaceful - so many of the things that I long to be.



Yes, my bed is unmade and I desperately need to dust - but somehow cozy light and peaceful beauty captures my eye so I don't see those things as much. Have I ever mentioned how much I love having fresh flowers on my nightstand? I can remember living alone and moving any flowers I ever had around from room to room to enjoy them wherever I was - but to wake up and see that kind of beauty right there, first thing. Oh, it is wonderful!

How can you add a tiny spot of refreshing beauty to your life today? Here's an idea:

"By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures."
Proverbs 24:3-4

My sweet husband blessed me with his own idea - he told me to call and make an appointment for a pedicure and he would watch the children. And, then he said to pick up Chinese on the way home. It was such a refreshing pause and I am basking in the afterglow as I type.

Praying for refreshing beauty for each of you right now ...

P.S. My kitchen is still a mess - glad so many of you enjoyed seeing my piles!

9 comments:

Alyssa Rose said...

I just love seeing your tulips in all of the pictures! They are b.e.a.u.t.i.f.u.l.

I am so happy that you were blessed by your husband with a pedicure and Chinese!

Anonymous said...

Sweet Monica, your tulips and toes are lovely!! Praise God your husband was so thoughtful and saw your need. I love your pics of your nightstand, i did not see one spec of dust and the covers were soft and cozy lookin. Wonderful good stuff. tammyp

Patty Williams said...

I'm so happy you enjoyed a little treat for yourself!

So sweet of your husband !

Have a great weekend !

Agnes said...

Monica,
You are so right, your messages are such a blessing for me, how to bring beauty in my life... I am not sure but flowers seem a good idea to me (we got 3 inches of snow again today!)
You have such a wonderful husband, so thoughtful and caring.
Enjoy your tulips

LynnMarie said...

What a nice thing for Hubby to do. We all need to hear more praise about our Hubbies! Today, all men are made to look like really dummies, especially on TV. It's good to praise them when they are doing what God put them in place to do.

Blissful & Domestic said...

Those tulips are just beautiful. I have been thinking alot about your previous post and I just have to say thank you for your honesty in your writing. I think as mom's sometimes we feel we must be a "super mom". and when we see friends who are having a hard time I think it is a good reminder that being a mom and wife can be hard and stressful at times. We have friends who can lend support. By sharing your day you let me know that the times I come up short during the day are ok because we can always start over. Christ can help us. He knows our frustrations because he felt them too, when he paid for our sins. You are in my prayers Monica and I know your family is thankful for all you do. Don't be so hard on yourself. When your children look back on their childhood are they going to remember clean counters and dusted table tops or the quality time you spent with them? I think it will be the latter, They will be thankful for the love you showed them every day and the way you taught them about their Savior. Those are the things that will matter the most in the long run. I pray your day is a happy and fun one with your littles.

~katie~ said...

Beautiful post, Monica! So neat how hubby blessed you! (And flip flops!? I'm so waiting for flip flop weather in our area!!) =) Blessings,Katie

no spring chicken said...

Yours is a good, good husband!

Davonne said...

I'm glad your husband suggested you take a break! My husband gave me a break on Wednesday evening when our house was a mess, and I drove through Starbucks on the way home from church (just the service there helps me to feel refreshed and cared about!), then snuck in the basement and watched a movie while he put the girls to bed. It was SO refreshing, and the next day I tackled the house after we finished school. My youngest slept and my oldest helped me clean, then we enjoyed hot tea together. It was so nice! And I thought about the photos of your mess when I was cleaning mine, and it really helped me to not feel so inadequate. We even added a fresh flower to the center of the table when we were finished, which is something we rarely do. Thank you for your honesty! And waking up to a really clean house this morning was a huge bonus ;)