"I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3 (NIV)
This past winter, I stood in my kitchen laughing with one of my kids while picking hard macaroni out of the melted cheese in the crockpot. Apparently, noodles like to be boiled beforehand when making a slow cooker recipe for macaroni and cheese.
About the time I posted an Instagram picture of the dinner fiasco, I heard another daughter upstairs yelling for towels.
It took a minute for it to register why she was panicked. Then I saw the water leaking through my kitchen ceiling. Toilet water.
I ran. No, I flew upstairs yelling, "Turn that silver knob thing behind the toilet. Quick! Turn it so the water will shut off!"
Later that night, our couch-turned-dancing-springboard decided it would no longer tolerate overly energetic, snowed-in teens. RIP, dear couch.
I'd laughed about the noodles. I'd dealt with the toilet water. I'd gotten quite miffed with the couch situation.
Another day.
Another page in what makes this life ... my life ... a story.
Not so much like the stories of books and big screens.
Those stories are a little shinier and seemingly perfect.
Those moms probably don't have cellulite because they don't eat mac and cheese. Their kitchen ceilings don't have stains because ... well because their kids don't use too much two-ply toilet paper. And their couches don't sag beyond repair.
But I love my story. I love my story most of all.
Why? How?
Because I pre-decided that I would.
I decided I would look at it all through the lens of noticing the rich evidence of life through each mess and mishap.
Did I do it all perfectly? Nope, not at all.
But even if we choose to be noticers with thankful hearts just once today, we'll start to look at our stories in a different way.
A more beautiful way.
While carrying the wet towels downstairs, I saw a pile of my kids' shoes by the front door.
I remembered our key verse, Philippians 1:3, where Paul says "I thank my God every time I remember you." I have plenty of reminders each day to thank God for the people in my life. To rejoice over every piece of my story. Starting with those shoes.
So I whispered, "Notice. Be a noticer. See all the fun represented here and thank God for these moments."
Noticers see the lovely in front of them and learn to love their story.
What might happen if you pre-determined to look through the lens of lovely today?
Dear Lord, thank You for this message today. Help me be a noticer with a thankful heart no matter how messy my life (or house!) may appear to be. I'm choosing to rejoice in the imperfect beauty of all of it. In Jesus' Name, Amen.
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