Beautiful Birthday Week

We all love beautiful things?

This Cardinal was present with me in the yard on my birthday. He sang incessantly until I looked up. My FIL use to call me every year on my birthday and sing. Cardinals are my reminder of him. ♥️

This week has been a week of endless tissues, runny nose, stuffed nostrils, coughing to the point of pain. It was also my birthday week. In this week, I have witnessed the beauty of love, joy, the promise of new life, bold colors, beautiful flowers, kind gestures, loving conversations, and hope of pending celebrations. My actual birthday, I spent most of my day outside in my yard. At times, I was alone. Sometimes, my dog would come lie down next to me. Many hours were spend on my porch with loved ones. Countless people, whom I have loved in my life, wished me happiness on my special day. This was one of my favorite birthdays to date. If you were to look at my outward appearance this week, beauty, by the world's standards, were not visible. Yet, those whom I love, accepted me the way I am.

Life can be settled in beauty. Both men and women appreciate beauty in this world. That is how we are wired. We love to look good, see beautiful creations, and surround ourselves in beautiful settings. We love to eat beautiful food that tastes beautiful. However, just because we love beauty, does not mean we will always see the beauty that surrounds us. Most of us take so much for granted. This only entrenches us deeper into this world. What would it take for you to seek to gain understanding and reconnect with who sent you into this world?

God set one rule from the beginning. Do not eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, was to be observed and obeyed. He asked this of Adam and Eve to help them learn to rely on faith. It was after that one rule was broken that we received additional commandments. These commandments have been given to us to guide our lives. His commandments guide us to rely on faith in the unseen. They also guide us to keep us from evil.

Earth has evil within, and evil separates us from the beauty life has to offer us. Evil reveals bad intension. Evil tries to derail us and take us off course from the path that God has put before us. God longs for us to live an abundant life. His promise. However, we must keep our focus and stay connected with Him and His plan, for this abundant life to flow forth.

As humans, the wrong doings we have endured become so etched in our brain. It is hard to move past painful words and harmful situations, which cloud the beauty. If it was easy, I guess there would be no remorse and no growing. He longs for us to turn to Him in dark times. He will help us find a way out.

Only God above can shine light through the darkness to help us see the error of our ways and others. We cannot change people. (Try telling an alcoholic to stop drinking, and see what happens). It is up to the individual to do the work and see what is hard to see, and then choose to make a change, and then make the hard choice every single day- not to drink. Ultimately, our hearts and minds must stay aligned with God in order to grow, to see the truth, and receive the abundant life He has promised us.

Choose to see the beauty and change your ways to remain and receive God's beautiful promises. He offered up His Son for the redemption of our souls, so that we could be reunited with Him for eternity. We can return to the beautiful garden of love and little cares. Living carefree is a dream that can come true with enough faith, discipline, learning and practice to return to the one who made each and every one of us.

"The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground--trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. A river watering the garden flowed from Eden; from there it was separated into four headwaters". -Genesis 2: 9- 10