Simply put, the simple things ruled in bringing smiles and moments of joy these last few days. With all the busy-ness of life, sometimes it is the small things that stand out as you reflect on the passing days.
Nailing it on an everyday chore…
I offer as an example, folded sheets. Oh, the smell of freshly laundered sheets when you take them out of the dryer and shake them out to fold ~ heavenly and a joy in itself! The pillowcases fold so easily, becoming perfect little smooth squares of percale. The top sheet is fairly easy to manage once you get it halved and then quartered. But, then…well, then you hit the treachery of the fitted sheet! Those suckers can be challenging, but I have been working on developing my sheet folding skills (and a healthy measure of patience) when I get to this part of the process. Seriously, as an adult responsible for doing laundry for well over four decades, it’s about time I hone up on this skill. Right? Well, the stars lined up correctly this past week and TA DA ~ I think I am getting the hang of it! I was so impressed with how this set turned out, I snapped a pic to preserve the image for all time.
Blooming through the hottest summer on record…
While the extreme heat we’ve experienced for the last couple of months has pretty much destroyed even the hardiest of potted plants and flowers on our patio, these grocery store blooms have generated lots of happy glances and smiling moments. Just big fluffy white hydrangea blooms sitting in a blue mason jar ~ the epitome of simple styling, but so powerful when everything is shriveling up and turning brown outside. I wish they would last forever ~ or that the grocery store will have some more of these $6 bouquets when it is time to replace this batch…
Escaping to the cinema…
After having conflicting schedules for the last couple of weeks, my other half and I were finally able to sneak away to the matinee and catch “Where the Crawdads Sing” this week. Y’all, it was worth the wait to see this incredible book come to life! It is a beautifully made movie ~ a very nice adaptation of the book and visually stunning ~ I highly recommend it. Of course, having read the book twice, I longed for some of the details and backstory that had to be abbreviated or left out to bring the story to the big screen. But, I still loved it and my husband actually enjoyed it, too. So, win-win. And, hey! How about those fantastic loungers they now have at theaters?!?!? Going to the movie is a whole new experience in comfort these days. (Now, if we could just do something about the price of a soda being more than the cost of the ticket…)
Listening on repeat…
This one, this one right here, is on repeat for me right now. It was written as God’s love song to us, his beloved children. And this group more than nailed it on both the message and delivery. If you aren’t familiar with it, I hope you will listen carefully to the lyrics. I have heard the writers’ testimony about this song and how it came to be written ~ and I believe it truly was a gift from above for them to share the incredible love of our heavenly Father. Give it a listen as it is simply beautiful.
Wrapping it up…
Although these highlights I share are simple, rather ordinary and everyday, I am so thankful for them. Not all of life is peaks and valleys; much of it is lived in plateau moments and there is still much beauty and joy on the level ground. My desire is to view the everyday with eyes that seek the extraordinary wherever it can be found. Putting on the lens of gratitude can truly alter the way one views the world ~ for there is so much for which to be thankful in every day of life. So, I leave you with this reminder ~
Until our next visit, take care and stay well!
Welcome to the porch... 