I’m watching the world die around me.

I’ve said it before, this isn’t the place where I lay down my political stance. I’ve read about each side of the aisle. I’ve read how some on one aisle agrees with the other and vice versa. I’ve been reading how alignments are being broken, families and friends are being lost, peacefulness turns into destruction. I see a country that once stood strong tumbling on every foundation that built it.

Last night, my husband and I were talking about how we are no longer nomads. We aren’t getting itchy feet to up and leave. We’ve found a place where we belong. We’ve never really felt this grounded in our lives. During that conversation he shared about how he hates the winters though. He explained that while we lived in Boise you could expect in the winters if it said it would snowed it snowed. There wasn’t the rain to muddle it up. In Hawaii, when it rained, you knew to expect slower drivers and muggy weather. Here, you have to prepare for it all – all at once. My response to that was, “Can you not find the beauty in all of that?”

You see, I’ve been able to learn a few things these last three years. The first: life is hard and unfair. The second: God never said it would be easy. And third: there is always a silver lining. Always.

As I watch the world crumble around me, I strive to find the beauty. You see, God is love and I have seen the beauty that He has created in a world that has turned their back on Him. As each day goes on, as hatred becomes the new norm, I look for the beauty, I look for my God in the midst of it all. This is how I do it…

I try to remind myself that His grace is sufficient for me, for my strength is made perfect in weakness. (II Corinthians 12:9) The only thing that I can ever depend on when this world is a crap show…God has made me strong enough to get through it.

Last week I had a bout of depression. And I’m proud to say it was short-lived because I was able to beat it. I put on some uplifting music that set my soul free. When the night is holding on to me, God is holding on. When my life is overwhelming me, the beauty of music sets me free.

Yesterday I spent some time with people who inspire me. In the past week or so we have seen people killed by anger and terrorism. We are in a trance with the unsettling in our country. Sometimes it makes me want to stay home, lock myself up, and stay far, far away from everything. Instead, I sought out inspiration. In this case it was kindred spirits. But, you can also seek out nature, a hobby. Anything that inspires you to make a positive difference.

Your greatness is not what you have, but what you give. I got to see a little boy grateful for a small birthday gift I gave him. I loved the sparkle in my husband’s eyes when I took him out to have a burger. What’s the significance in those two sentences? Money is tight with our foster to adopt process and I generally hate burgers. But, I gave. Not to be blessed. But to bless someone else.

My husband doesn’t like PNW winters. But, I remember seeing one winter morning how snow dusted the trees, the river, the hills, all of my surroundings. While it was cold, winter had been going on far too long, I found the beauty of the world being reborn around me. And it was such a beautiful and majestic sight. As all the heavy and negative things continue to go on in this world, one thing I know for sure, there is still beauty in this world. There is still love.

Look, I know it isn’t easy sometimes to believe that. But, there is always a silver lining to the evils of this world. If only you take a step back, a solitary moment to really look and find it. My list of “how to” isn’t even near what I do to find the beauty. But, I am determined to make the world around me a better place. In order for me to do that, I need to remember it first starts with me counting my blessings and not my grievances.

Will you count your blessings with me? xoxo