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#DistractedByBeauty, Community

Is Beauty Possible in Brown?

Looking through my photos on my phone, I can go days without taking one picture of something beautiful.

On Halloween, for my costume as an entrance ticket to a zoo I wore black pants, a black sweater, and a black fleece to make a neutral background. In essence, all the black I own.

I am drawn to color. When the Velvet Ashes leadership team met to film a session for the Commune Retreat we were asked to wear neutral colors. My brain processed “neutral” as “solid” colors and I showed up with a hot pink sweater. I remember the sinking feeling I had when I realized my mistake, but since I wasn’t at home, hot pink it was.

Working in the yard, getting the gardens ready for winter, I am surrounded by brown. Dead leaves. Dead branches. Dead stems. Dying grass. Fading flowers. Slowly the world is putting itself to bed.

Now is the liminal time between the beauty of a winter morning and the beauty of summer. While I have grown to appreciate the rhythms of the seasons, I do not naturally think of this time of year as beautiful.

When I first became #DistractedByBeauty it was in summer. Working on our back deck, I glanced at a pig flower pot next to me and was struck by my utter oblivion to the beauty next to me. What a cute pig. What a colorful flower. I thought. What else am I missing because I don’t even think to look around me?

Thus began my tuning in. My noting of beauty. My looking for it in odd places.

But not now. Not in the brown. Not in the fading world.

Why?

God and I have been talking about where I see beauty. For me, summer had to be the entrance for beauty. I can guarantee you I would never have thought “What a cute pig. What a beautiful dead flower.” Sitting outside even on a warm day in late October. To tune in to the beauty frequency in my life, I could hear it clearest in the summer.

But just like on a road trip before satellite radio, when as you left one area the reception became fuzzy, I find I can’t see beauty without squinting eyes. On this journey, God is reminding me that beauty can be seen and heard on different frequencies, but I have to be willing to change the dial.

This week I gave a Thanksgiving Day lesson to visiting Chinese scholars. It is eye opening to see your culture through the eyes of others. The number one question they ask me before I begin the lesson?

Always

Always

Always something related to Black Friday.

They love shopping. I can’t fault them. The chance for deals on gifts to take back to China, a gift giving culture, is important. It matters.

But I heard myself saying an unexpected truth today as I taught on modern ways of celebrating. I knew I had to mention Black Friday because the Chinese believe it is the most important part, to not mention I, I lose credibility. We touched on Thursday (Thanksgiving), Friday (Black Friday), Monday (Cyber Monday), and Tuesday (Giving Tuesday) and the evolution of the four days. They know of Black Friday the best, Thanksgiving second, but had not heard of Cyber Monday or Giving Tuesday.

“A culture that only emphasizes deals and consumption cannot be very deep or very great. I know you love Black Friday, but please be people who are thankful and generous as well. If we all do not foster thankfulness to God for the many blessings we all have and if we do not give to others, we will become hollow on the inside.”

If I only see beauty in the summer, in color, eventually the beauty I feed in my soul will become anemic. Summer beauty and the “Black Fridays” of our life are good. But they cannot be enough. They cannot feed the change that ripples beyond what the eye can see.

I am not the only one who needs to begin to train myself to see beauty in brown, dear reader.

In fading seasons.

In what seems dead to me.

Only one of these pictures can I easily see beauty. To begin this journey I took a picture I have shared before. The middle picture I was featured this summer. Oh the irony, as the lessons continue. “Savor” when it is naturally beautiful to me. Overlook when it is not.

But I believe, even though I do not really believe, there is beauty to be seen in these liminal times of the year.

God help my unbelief.

Help me to be #DistractedByBeauty I do not see. Take me further on this journey of seeing beauty, because I need this kind of beauty as well. Dare I flirt with an anemic soul and way of interacting with the world. Amen.

Dear reader, which season is it easiest for you to see beauty?

#DistractedByBeauty, Velvet Ashes

Savoring Life One Firefly at a Time

Hello friends! This week the theme at Velvet Ashes is Savor.

I love the word savor. It evokes a slowing down and presence that counters many of the other voices around me.

So this week I have been trying to savor life and tune into those moments I enjoy. As a girl, I loved to visit my grandparents in Michigan and catch fireflies in the magical time between dinner and bed. My sisters and I giggled as our parents and grandparents enjoyed the cooling of the air. Then we would release them.

Savoring life is like catching a firefly. Enjoy. Release.

This week I savored these moments:

1.  I shared on Facebook that I fixed two broken sprinkler heads. Woot woot! “I just wish I could tell Dad.” I said to Mom. There is no one who would smile larger at the accomplishments of his daughters. I now know how to fix sprinkler head and almost—almost—want another one to break so I can fix it :).

2. Flowers!!! Tis the season to pick and make bouquets. I am savoring the colors of this season. The variety. The beauty.

3. This flower bed. For the last three years I’ve tried different plants and arrangements, but none quite satisfied. Until now.

4. Flavors of a new favorite dish. Ground turkey, onions, and peppers cooked in some kind of fish sauce. Okay, so while I may not be much of a food describer, it is good people. Trust me.

5. The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry: A Novel by Rachel Joyce. SO GOOD. Love this book. It is one to savor (also, the parallels with A Man Called Ove: A Novel. I might have, oh say, stalked my mom and bored her with all of my thoughts. She may not have savored that conversation :)).

6. Birds!! We have recently put up a two-sided bird feeder holder. On the left, chickadees, blue jays, and other birds (yup, not only do I speak pathetic foodie language, my bird knowledge is lacking. Never let a lack of knowledge get in the way of savoring!). On the right, humming birds are now dining. And dive bombing the chickadees, blue jays, and other birds. Who knew these little guys were so aggressive. I took this photo and then almost didn’t share because it isn’t very professional. And then I remembered, “Amy, of course it is not very professional, you are not a professional photographer.” Ah, the ways we hold ourselves to ridiculous standards. The bird on the top left? A chickadee. The one in the middle? A decorative fake bird.

7. Blaster boats. Basically a big inner tube connected to a motor and the ability to spray water on fellow boaters. Blaster boats were a niece’s requested birthday activity. Spraying family members? Celebrating birthdays? Savor, savor, savor. And maybe scream a bit when hit with water. I’m just saying that screams may have come out of me. More like shrieks.

8. Paperwork. I cannot believe it, but there is still paperwork to go through! In all fairness to my dad, the small pile I found this week was mine. I had forgotten how much Dad and Mom did when I applied and was accepted to Denver Seminary. Since I lived in China at that time and the government required FAFSA stuff for financial aid, there was much I needed them to do. It is good to savor a taste of kindness from the past.

9. I work with amazing people! Recently I have been forming and training people to help with Velvet Ashes. Sarah, Bayta, Kathryn, Dorette, Spring, Rachel, Abby, Raven, Hannah, Jen, and Jamie—working with you are real fireflies making Velvet Ashes a brighter place . . . and many don’t know. But I do. (As do others in VA leadership!).

10. I have been working like a mad woman this week because I will visit good friends for the next week. Savoring the sense of anticipation.

Where have you savored life this week? Until after vacation, Amy :)

#DistractedByBeauty, 15 seconds a day

5 Aha Moments

Another month joins the annals of history. Goodbye September 2016. Doesn’t it seem that I was just asking if you were up for a challenge during September? I don’t want to be one of those people who say, “Where did September go?” OR “How can it already be November?” (See how I did that? See how we have already lost October). Sure, time passes and it catches us off guard.

But does it have to?

5-aha-dbb

This sense of wondering where time has gone is a symptom, I’ve decided. A symptom of auto-pilot living. At the end of “The 30 day challenge to fight teflon brain and win” I had 5 aha moments.

1. Being #DistractedByBeauty for 15 seconds a day builds in bite-sized reflection.

When have we been programed to reflect? In chunks that are FAR TOO LARGE to seep into the pores of daily life. We reflect at the beginning of a year, setting goals or resolutions. We reflect at the end of something large, be it a project or degree completed.

By looking every day for something positive to help foster velcro in my mind, I built reflection into pieces that I could actually chew and digest. World peace? Life goals? Too big. Do I appreciate the amazing adults who are investing in my niece’s lives? You betcha. Can I savor the positive aspects of a society that values public libraries? I can.

2. My notion of beauty needs to be expanded.

As I looked each day for something beautiful to reflect on, my initial default was nature. A flower, changing leaves, or clouds in the sky. Are they beautiful? Of course they are. But I can see how my notion of beauty is so narrow I miss on beauty tucked into ordinary life.

A friend posted a picture of her legs, noting that they were strong and carried her. Legs! Most of us have them. Beauty attached to our very bodies. I wrote about traffic. Do you tend to think of traffic as beautiful?

Ask yourself why not.

3. I underestimated the variety of brain-savoring that is possible.

Today I went back through my Instagram feed to see what I commented on this month (another form of reflection, it turns out). Look at all that was savored:

  • A memorial service of a 15-year-old boy
  • Conversation with my niece
  • A broken sprinkler
  • Time with family
  • Poor sleep and prayer for peace
  • The beauty in traffic
  • The Denver Broncos
  • Reminder of the need for breaks
  • The joy of completing a large project
  • What I like about the library
  • The idea of living out their values
  • The joy of flowers
  • Being proud of your home town
  • Dental care and scheduling errors
  • The death of a dear friend
  • Aspens
  • Reflecting on friends
  • Books

Can you seen patterns? Yes, and I stayed a little close to my comfort zones: family, football, nature. But every now and then I’d wander into territory I hadn’t thought of before.

Just think of the unexplored areas hidden right under my nose. Just think of the possibilities :)!

5. We need this discipline before we need it.

It is not lost on me that the month started off with a post about death and the last week has been devoted to the death of my dear friend Mike Packevicz. Would I have chosen to invite you all into a challenge about beauty in a month of significant loss? No. I would have waited for a “more suitable time.”

But this a-ha moment is that there will never be a “suitable time” because our brains are so teflony to the positive. The negative sticks without even trying. It is an effort in the midst of the slog of life to note the positive.

As I was traveling, I found myself looking for positive things to note. A kind seat mate. A crew member making a joke. A text that reminded me I wasn’t alone in my long travel day. Again and again, when I looked to be #DistractedByBeauty, I was.

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Can you fight teflon brain and win?

You can.

The victories will be small. They may seem too inconsequential to matter. But how to you change the trajectory of an arrow? A few degrees of change will have that arrow land in a different place (#DistractedByMath?).

15 seconds a day of savoring leads to a life time of savoring.

What did you notice this month as you were #DistractedByBeauty?

#DistractedByBeauty, 15 seconds a day

Teflon Brain Challenge Check-in

Want to hear a bold claim?

“15 seconds a day to a brain that is more receptive to the positive.”

More receptive. Not instantly positive in all situations. Part way thought the month, how’s it going? I met with a friend today and we noted how this “silly” challenge results in actual change.

15-seconds-a-day-2

One of the cardinal rules of counseling is helping clients to learn how to create enough of a beat for their brains to kick in. All of us make better decisions if our brain is engaged and we are not merely reacting.

#15secondsaday slows me down enough for my brain to ask “what is good here? What is worth noting? What can I savor?” Sound familiar?

Finally, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. Philippians 4:8

I’ve heard this verse, what? A gabillion times? I don’t tend to think of Paul channeling Polly Anna. Maybe he’s not. Maybe Paul knows how challenging it can be to notice—let alone—meditate on things that are

—true

—noble

—just

—pure

—lovely

—of good report

—has any virtue (notice how low the bar is!! Be encouraged)

—if there is anything praiseworthy (again, surely we can note something, right?)

Why be #DistractedByBeauty for #15secondsaday? Because life is hard. Because much of our consumer culture feeds on fear. Because scarcity is more automatic than savoring. Because my brain doesn’t seem very teflony towards the negative; instead, those velcro hooks are more like vice grips at times.

This discipline is not just for the Polly Annas of the world, it’s for the Pauls too. I have been enriched by looking daily for a nugget I might have missed. But I’m not the only one! Want to see beauty variety? Look on Instagram or Facebook for #DistractedByBeauty, #15secondsaday, or #FightTeflonBrain. Soul food, my friends, soul food.

It’s not too late to join the challenge. Your day one can start today. Or tomorrow. Or whenever. Paul reminds us being #DistractedByBeauty is for the long haul.

Like other spiritual disciplines, this one is open to personal adaptation.

ideas include:

  • Participate by daily taking a picture and tagging it #DistractedByBeauty on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Take a moment to explain what drew you in, what it makes you think about, or who it reminds you of.
  • Search for #DistractedByBeauty and slow down enough to look at the image. Savor the description.
  • Choose a daily cue such as your morning cup of tea, laying your head on the pillow at night, or starting your car (riding your bike, paying the cab driver, or taking out your subway card). The trigger reminds you to take a few seconds and recall a positive comment, nature, kindness extended to you, or person in your life. Savor the memory.
  • Set an alarm on your phone or fitbit and take 15 seconds to savor the positive in your life.
  • Invite family members, teammates, co-workers, or friends to join in the challenge.

15 seconds a day to a brain that is more receptive to the positive. What an invitation, eh?!

So, I’ll ask again, how’s it going? What have you noticed as you have made little velcro hooks in your brain for the positive to stick a little bit more than it might have?

Truly, I’d love to hear!

Amy

#DistractedByBeauty, 15 seconds a day, Faith

30 day challenge to fight teflon brain and win

If I say 10 statements to you, nine of them positive and one negative, which statement will you play over and over in your mind?

15 Seconds a Day

You answered immediately, didn’t you?  Of course you did :).

You know which will stick to you like velcro while the others slide off like a fried egg leaving a teflon pan. What you might not know is why.

This summer I heard an interview with Richard Rohr in which he said,

Negativity and fear and resentment and anger—attach like Velcro and imprint readily. They are addictive. It’s a strange attractor. It is the realm of the false self.

Positivity—joy, gratitude, etc.—is like Teflon, slides off readily. A minimum of 15 seconds savoring for the brain to hold it and imprint the positive experience.

In Eden, before doubt crept in, before fear and resentment became our bedfellows, joy reigned. Gratitude abounded. Beauty was the norm.

Negativity shouldn’t stick like velcro, love should. Joy should. Contentment should. Instead we have, the story of a broken inheritance from The Fall.

But did you notice the glimmer of hope we can fan into flame? The flicker where you don’t have to be more, or try harder, or become Pollyanna to fight back?

You know the birth of #DistractedByBeauty, but it’s fun to hear stories retold. Absorbed in my work on the back deck, I glanced up and noticed the pig planter sitting within inches of me.

Piggy

Disturbed with my own oblivion, I paused. Was beauty really that close, yet I was so lost in tasks I didn’t create a little bit of space to be distracted by the beauty around me? I took out my phone, took a picture, and created the hashtag #DistractedByBeauty and for the past 14 months have been practicing this simple spiritual discipline.

Singlehandedly, it has been one of the most spiritually formative acts in the last year. I couldn’t have told you why. But after hearing that it takes, “A minimum of 15 seconds savoring for the brain to hold it and imprint the positive experience,” the lightbulb lit up in my brain.

It takes me, maybe a minute to notice something, take a photo, write short blurb, and tag it #DistractedByBeauty. Long enough for little velcro stubs to form and my brain to savor, hold, and imprint.

This is how ridiculous I’ve become, I notice hubcaps. A few weeks ago, as I got out of my car in the library parking lot, glancing at the car next to me thought, “Wow, look at the beautiful pattern the lug nuts make.” What?! Lug nuts making beautiful patterns? I find myself looking at the cracks on sidewalks wondering if there is a hidden treasure in plain sight. I look up at street lights in hope of unexpected beauty.

Herein lies the beauty—God, in yet another mercy towards us, invites us to participate in making our brains less teflony. He could raise the bar so high we all give up. Who has time to think about lug nuts for at least ten minutes? Or so low, our participation is incidental leading to anything we glance at or think about for a mere second boost our chances of the positive effect.

Instead, savor for 15 seconds and enjoy the after effects. Fight teflon brains with velcro strategies. 

Why it matters.

I can become so discouraged by the many parts of the world out of my control, that I don’t engage with what is in my control. So, here is the invitation. For the month of September join me in 30 days of being intentionally #DistractedByBeauty for 15 seconds a day.

Like other spiritual disciplines, this one is open to personal adaptation. Ideas include:

  • Participate by daily taking a picture and tagging it #DistractedByBeauty on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Take a moment to explain what drew you in, what it makes you think about, or who it reminds you of.
  • Search for #DistractedByBeauty and slow down enough to look at the image. Savor the description.
  • Choose a daily cue such as your morning cup of tea, laying your head on the pillow at night, or starting your car (riding your bike, paying the cab driver, or taking out your subway card). The trigger reminds you to take a few seconds and recall a positive comment, nature, kindness extended to you, or person in your life. Savor the memory.
  • Set an alarm on your phone or fitbit and take 15 seconds to savor the positive in your life.
  • Invite family members, teammates, co-workers, or friends to join in the challenge.

15 seconds a day to a brain that is more receptive to the positive. What an invitation, eh?!

Are you up for the 30 day challenge against teflon brain?

Teflon, you are real, we know it, but now we are on to you!

Amy

P.S. Photo credit: Emily Smith

#DistractedByBeauty, Book, Looming Transitions

(thank you)

I said I wan’t going to become one of those people who work their book into every conversation.

And I’m not.

Thank you 564

But I didn’t foresee becoming an Amazon bestselling author just five days after launching Looming Transitions. How can I not thank you? How can I not publicly thank God? I truly did not see this coming. Saturday night I was poking around on Amazon and then put this update on Facebook:

Two random bits of info from my recent visit to Amazon:

1. In the search bar, if you type “Looming” and hit return before adding “Transition” . . . you’ll be directed to a lovely Looming Kit.

2. When you do correctly type the name of Looming Transitions, you’ll see it’s climbed to in the #20’s in one subcategory :).

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Well, when I actually clicked on the link with stat updates, I was shocked to see::

Hot new releases 564

What?! Both the Kindle and the Paperback version were listed under “Hot New Releases.” But more than that:

Amazon 564

Looming Transitions is #5 on a best selling list!!! I was ranked in two subcategories, #5 in one and #6 in in the other. You can see them here and here — the rank varies, so it’s doubtful I’m still at exactly #5 and #6..

I have to say, part of me wants to put a bunch of disqualifiers with the main one being: this isn’t a “real” best selling list because it is a sub-list. However, I’m not going to do that. Because that diminishes what you have done for me and what God has done through this process.

As part of the book launch, I had a post at A Life Overseas, where I’m a monthly contributor, and I offered copies of the book in a drawing. Two overriding emotions on Saturday as I replied to nearly 55 comments: 1. The amount of comments (the need for these resources is so great!) was heavy. 2. Someone I don’t know said he was already part way through the book and it was valuable and humorous.

Surreal. All of it. I don’t know him, he isn’t someone who loves me and has to buy out of semi-obligation. Valuable. Humorous. Wow. God is using something I invested so much time and effort in beyond what I dared dream.

If I could, I’d thank each one of you who has bought it, posted on social media, emailed me, offered to let me post at your blog, and written reviews, I would. But how do you thank an army fueled by love? The only words out of my mouth for the rest of my days would be “thank you” and I wouldn’t hit everyone.

I don’t know how to thank you. So I will simply say, thank you.

I would like to promise, promise, promise that the next post won’t be about the book (I have four posts all ready and none of them are about the book); however, if Oprah contacts me between now and Thursday, you’ll hear about it. Doubtful, but after the last week I’ve had, it’s fun to dream, isn’t it?

With blessing,

Amazon Bestselling Author:  Amy (HAHAH, that is the one and only time I’ll end this way. Even I am rolling my own eyes!)

 

#DistractedByBeauty, The Church Year

Epiphany is more than an insight

The subtitle of Kimberlee Conway Ireton’s book is Meeting God in the Church Year.

Meeting.

Not finding, discovering, or hoping to bump into. Instead: meeting. In many ways it frees us up, doesn’t it? If I need to find God or an insight about God, I’ve got to be game on. Discovering put pressure that encounters with God need to have that “wow” factor. Hoping to bump into seems too dependent on timing. But meeting takes the pressure off, as I just have to show up and trust that in the showing up, God will show up too.

Epiphany 560

Today is Epiphany, the culmination of Christmas. I have to say, my soul is saying, “This is a Wednesday and it feels more like time to get back to school or get ready for Chinese New Year. It does not feel like one of the three major feasts in the Christian year.”

This is why we need to keep showing up, in our stories, in the church calendar—because what feels like a random Wednesday is anything but.

In The Circle of Seasons, Kimberlee wrote about the two themes of Epiphany. But before we get to the themes, I actually looked up what “Epiphany” means: the manifestation of Christ to the Gentiles as represented by the Magi.

I think I may be overly tired as I type this, why else would I feel so ecstatic at this definition? I actually want to clap. It’s a bit like having an epiphany. Okay, now we know I need more sleep. But isn’t that cool? An epiphany is not just a deep insight, it is a supernatural insight due to Jesus manifesting himself.

The two themes of Epiphany are:

1. Gift-giving: “What Epiphany calls us to is extravagant giving with great love, without counting the cost.”

I want to pause here for a moment as we will be entering Ordinary time tomorrow. Is it just me, or is Epiphany setting us up for Ordinary time?

2. Call and Response: Kimberlee nails it on the head when she said that loving those around her isn’t easy. I know I’ve shared before, but the idealized version of me is so much more patient and loving than the me that actually has to interact with people. People can be annoying! Oh wait, love, right.

“For most of us, following the start means paying attention to the people around us, our families, friends, neighbors. . . . Epiphany calls us to move beyond the familiar, to be sure. But sometimes, maybe even most of the time, the familiar is not geographical.” I really liked that part of the chapter. If you’re reading along, what did you think of this section?

I’ve shared before why I love “We Three Kings” {even though I was screamed at}. It’s still my favorite Christmas song—though the story behind “I heard the Bells on Christmas Day” have it nudging near the top this year. On Epiphany as we think about the theme of giving gifts and responding in Ordinary Times, I want to leave us with a reflection based on the three gifts. It is from Tara Owens author of Embracing the Body:

Gold – what has been the treasure of your year? What are your glory moments, your beautiful blessings? For what are you most deeply thankful?

Frankincense – what are your earnest prayers? What do you most need to reach the ears of God? Where are you holding out hope above hope?

Myrrh – what must you leave behind, as we turn the calendar over? What needs to be buried, ceremonially put to death that you may have life more abundantly?

Britta and I did a short Christmas/Epiphany video as we are learning what these seasons look like lived out. If you seeing this in an email, you can watch it here. 

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I don’t know what one says on Epiphany. Since it’s a feast day, after a long season of waiting and then celebrating the birth of Christ, may I offer a blessing?

May the God who met you as you actively waited, offering peace, hope, and joy, still meet you.

May He help you to pay attention to those around you.

May He enable you to move beyond the familiar as we enter Ordinary Time. 

Amen.

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Grace and Peace,

Amy

 

#DistractedByBeauty, 31 reminders from Eden, China, Signs, The Church Year

A Sign From a Beijing Bathroom That Points to Eden

I saw this sign in a bathroom in Beijing:

Please be informed

We were in a nice hotel, doing a bathroom stop—as public restrooms are not always the easiest to find in downtown Beijing. While I understand why a hotel might want to discourage people from using their bathroom as a changing room, when I read it, I was reminded how Eden Lost our world is.

Eden Lost declares some parts of our stories are untouchable for God to reach in and influence, change, redeem, or offer His presence. This is not a changing area.

Eden, however, would have signs with the opposite message! God has hung this sign on your life, over your circumstances, in your messy middle:

Please be informed that this is a changing area.

This is a changing area.

I want to print this sign off and hang it on my wall. Better yet, I want to paper the walls of my heart and mind with it. How helpful to see this sign the day after I shared with you Kimberlee’s book  The Circle of Seasons and an invitation to join in reading it over the course of the year.

A friend contacted me wanting to double the offer on the books for the giveaway. Eight of your names were drawn and you’ve been contacted that you won!

I was moved at the response. Twenty-four of you left comments. And I don’t believe it was just because of a free book (though, I know it helped!). Honestly, I believe it’s because you too long to be anchored in a deeper story than Black Friday, Valentine’s Day, even, dare I say it, Pi Day.

We want to be invested in stories that matter. Like this one. Before I headed to China, my friend Michelle texted me: “So the college I work at—Northwestern College—is doing Operation Christmas Child. I shared your post and they are ramping up the boy boxes. They are putting out a challenge for the guy dorms to pack as many as they can. Yay for boys.”

Yesterday she sent me this:

OCC boxes

“Most of our 100 boxes is for boys. The big stack of boxes is for boys ages 10-14. Majority of our boxes are for boys.”

Please be informed that this is a changing area.

God hangs this sign over your heart. And then it hangs over the boys.

This sign is hung again and again.

If you didn’t win a book, I still have good news for you. Kimberlee has extended the offer of her book to you for $5. She said, “Just shoot me an email with your mailing address, the number of copies you want, and to whom you’d like them inscribed, and I’ll get them in the mail to you. You’ll have them in plenty of time to read the Advent chapter before the season begins on November 29.”

I’m still a bit fuzzy in the brain from jet lag, so I haven’t made a plan yet. I’ll work on how we’ll get started this weekend and let you know early next week.

Know why I’d like you to leave a comment on this post? It’s not because I love comments (even though I do), it’s because God used that sign as an invitation to me to slow down and reflect on my life. He’d like to do it for you too.

Where could you use the Eden Sign in your life right now?

#DistractedByBeauty, Messy Middle

#DistractedByBeauty and You Can Be Too!

It started innocently enough. I took a picture and then said on Instagram: 

I’m finding it hard to work on email and editing the book. I just want to stare at this cute pig! I’m creating a new hashtag/ spiritual practice and calling it —#DistractedByBeauty. Seriously doubt it’s new :). But who else wants to be #DistractedByBeauty?!

Turns out many of us do.

#DistractedByBeauty has become a significant spiritual practice as it slows me down to notice what’s right in front of me. I’ve noticed I’m more tuned into the small pieces that could be easy to overlook in all that needs doing. I can sense it informing my being, pushing back on the rush that too often is stirring my soul.

Several people have asked if it’s okay to use #DistractedByBeauty. I don’t own it! It was given to me to help steward. I’d love for you to join in on Facebook or Instagram. It’s small, it doesn’t have to be daily, and it’s fun.

Here’s some of what’s been distracting and delighting me:

#DBB11. #DistractedByBeauty was born by that cute pig!

2. Here’s the thing, sometimes to be #DistractedByBeauty you have to look past the fact that the squirrel ate one of only three sunflowers that came up this year. And say “I see you empty, naked, headless stock. But I also see the two beautiful sunflowers! And yes, one of them is held up by string.” #DistractedByBeauty

3. Today I was #DistractedByBeauty on my #dietCoke! What a cute #LadyBug and she had good taste! 

4. #DistractedByBeauty in the form of chocolate :) Really people, doesn’t this look like art? {Side note: this turned out to be one of the most popular ones, are we surprised?}

#DBB2

1. I am a sucker for a cute bench. Think of the conversations that could take place! Or the books that could be read. Almost done with #RisingStrong by #brenebrown. So good! #DistractedByBeauty in benches and books.

2. This isn’t the only insect or spider web picture I’ve taken. I didn’t know I was such a bug fan.

3. Wouldn’t you love to know what they are talking about?  #DistractedByBeauty and #DistractedByRandomness “I don’t say this to hurt your feelings, but I’m not sure Green is your best color.”

4. I got new shoes and I love them!!! Depending on your philosophy they either go with nothing or with everything :). I think you know where I land in this! #DistractedByBeauty that are on my feet! Soon to be #DistractedByBoarding … These are very comfortable for travel. So I am in about seven of my happy places at once :)!!

 #DBB31. Look!! On my car … When you see #denverbroncos colors how can you not be #DistractedByBeauty :)!!

2. Walking into the library to work I nearly missed this!!! Yes, you made in the Imago Dei, don’t forget. #DistractedByBeauty I love a good #bumpersticker

3. This is #4’s first #DenverBroncos game! She’s wearing her mom’s vintage orange crush shirt and I’m wearing my Super Bowl shirt from when the Broncos were in their first one! All four of Tom Young’s granddaughters have sat in his seat. She has been looking forward to this for months :)! I love you #4!!#DistractedByBeauty

4.Bought temporary scripture tattoos this week and this is what I’ve been thinking and praying about. And then I read this from “Soul Keeper”: The Bible does use the word easy once, though. It came from Jesus. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and … And you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. “Easy is a soul word, not a circumstance word; not an assignment word. Aim at having easy circumstances, and life will be hard all around. Aim at having an easy soul, and your capacity for tackling hard assignments will actually grow. The soul was not made for an easy life. The soul was made for an easy yoke. P 126

After the week I’ve had, I needed that reminder :-). #DistractedByBeauty in the form of encouragement. #armedwithtruth

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So, we’re not talking high literature, and my use of exclamation marks might border on excessive. But I am more actively look for and appreciating the beauty that’s around me. Beauty that points me to the joy and mystery of our faith.

Tomorrow I fly to China for two weeks and have decided to take a two week blogging break. I can either be present with those around me, or focused too much on the internet as I travel. I’ve recently been nudged by God how easy it is to talk about rhythms and not live them. The only reason I’d keep blogging while traveling with a fairly full schedule is out of fear that you’ll forget about me or my blog numbers will fall.

But God wants us to live bigger, more interesting stories than blog numbers. And fear is not a sign of His Spirit.

If you want to see bits and pieces when something hits me, I’ll be on instagram or Facebook as I’m #DistractedByBeauty. Please feel free to use that hashtag so I can see what’s distracting you, too.

Enjoy the next two weeks.

Grace and Peace and #DistractedByBeauty,

Amy

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