She Sees Beauty

She sees beauty in this world and in the worlds her mind begets.
Her eyes spot gems among a driveway of gravel. To her, holey leaves are amazing…not damaged. If you ask her why, she’ll say it is because those are the leaves that shared with the caterpillars.  When it rains, she pulls on her pink and leopard printed boots and dances through puddles.  Should a ray of sun cut into a cloud, she searches for a rainbow… if we find one, she is the first to proclaim it beautiful.

She sees beauty in people.
Everyone she encounters is, in her eyes, a new friend.  Age, gender, cultural differences and physical maladies are not discriminating factors she employs. Instead, she chooses her friends based on their smile…or sometimes their lack of a smile.  She climbs up her great-grandfather’s lap and envelops his neck in her arms.  His wheelchair does not bother her…nor does his paralysis, or lack of speech.  She sees him with the eyes of her heart. She sees that he is beautiful.

She sees beauty in her flawed mother.
I love her. I have always loved her. I wanted her before she was made and I wanted her even more when I watched the image of her peanut-sized body fluttering on a monitor.  When her first cries rang louder than my tired moans and her pink and perfect body squirmed in my arms, I felt as though my heart would expire from sheer exhilaration. I love her…yet sometimes I fail her. But when I ask for her forgiveness, she never hesitates. Instead, she hugs me. She says that she has the best mommy in the world. She tells me I am beautiful.

She sees beauty in giving.
Money slipped out from the birthday cards that arrived in the mail. With excitement she gasped, “This is so wonderful! I can use this money to help others…maybe I can buy food or toys for children who do not have anything.”  Sometimes, the simplest gifts from others bring her the most joy…a drawing from a friend, a paper star from her teacher, and a “moon rock” she found with a classmate are among her most cherished possessions because they are from people she loves. They mean something. She thinks they are beautiful.

She sees beauty, because she is beautiful.

Today marks the beginning of the sixth year that I am invited to revel in her beauty. Happy Birthday to my daughter…the owner of a most beautiful soul.

"How beautiful on the mountains 

       are the feet of those who bring good news, 

       who proclaim peace, 

       who bring good tidings, 

       who proclaim salvation, 

       who say to Zion, 

       'Your God reigns!'"

-Isaiah 52:7 NIV-

I Want Less

It's a new decade, but I've been thinking a lot about the previous one...mostly the beginning of the previous one. Ten years ago I was a new wife with a list of wants larger than Manute Bol's wingspan. *

Whenever I looked down at the three sparkling, yet small by my standards at that time, diamonds on my engagement ring I thought about how I'd like an upgrade by my tenth anniversary. I was ready to trade in my white gold for platinum and more than double my caret weight.

I loved every minute of our Jamaica honeymoon, but kept thinking about the luxurious accommodations we would occupy once we returned.

Instead of fostering a heart of thankfulness for shelter, clothing, and modern conveniences, I wanted more. I sighed disgruntled when I walked into my small apartment in an old run down building. I wanted a house...a large house adorned with beautiful furniture, no more hand-me-downs. I also tired of counting pennies at the grocery store and dreamed that one day I would fill my kitchen with fine wines, cheeses, and gourmet ingredients. Only the best.

My wants numbered many and each one labeled justified. I rationalized that a large home with fine foods would enable me to demonstrate hospitality toward others. It wasn't just a want, it was a need. As far as that extravagant anniversary trip and two-caret princess cut ring...those were items that I deserved. After all, financially and emotionally supporting one's spouse as he earns his PhD is not for the faint of heart.

Ten years ago, I wanted more. Today, I want less.

Less stuff. Less to trip over, less to manage, less to fret about, less to want...less to waste time wanting.

Less drama. Less conflict. Less schedule management. Less stress.

Less of me. Less insecurities. Less worrying about whether or not I measure up to the standards of others. Less time spent agonizing over how others (ahem) *make* me feel.

Less wanting. Less of trying to have the perfect life. Less of trying to make the perfect impression. Less conforming. Less wondering how to get more from others.

Less. I want less so that I can be more...be whole..be active in living...in giving...in loving.

I want less.

*For those of you unfamiliar with basketball trivia, Manute Bol was a former NBA center with an 8ft 6in wing span, the largest in NBA history

Ryann Watters Winner Announced

This seldom happens...in fact, it has never happened before in one of my blog contests. Random Number Generator picked #1. So Congratulations Megan, mommy of voracious reader Morgan! Please contact me and I'll get the books to you soon.

If you are not Megan, don't feel too bad...you can buy both books for $20 as long as you act today!

Ryann Watters Double Book Give-Away

When my daughter asks me to make up a special story to tell her before bedtime, my tale usually involves a princess of noble character and a silly prince. I weave in some mild mayhem, a moral, and end on a happy note about five minutes later.

When Eric Reinhold's children asked him for original bedtime stories, he created multidimensional characters, an alternate universe, and a magnificent adventure based on the armor of God. Oh, and a few years later...he turned those stories into a book series geared toward youth and landed a publishing contract for said books all while running his own company and remaining a devoted family man. Impressed? Me too.

The story behind the story is one of the things I love best about Reinhold's Ryann Watters series. Here are a few more things I love about Ryann Watters and the King's Sword (part one of the trilogy) and Ryann Watters and the Shield of Faith (part two).

• It's geared toward kids 8-13 but lends itself to an enjoyable reading experience for adults.

• The non-fantasy segments take place in the real town of Mount Dora, FL.
  

• The stories come with a moral compass and promote spiritual growth.

• Scripture references are used appropriately throughout the books.

• The four main characters are every day kids who encounter real obstacles and struggle to make the best decisions.

• Family values are accentuated as Ryann Watter's parents play a role in the story.

• The fantasy world of Aeliana and its mythical inhabitants are created with beautiful and vivid finess.
  

New blog rules regarding reviews require me to mention a few items I did not love about the books (Forgive me, Eric).

• I was disappointed that Drake, the bully in Ryann Watters and the King's Sword, was written as though he was a lost cause because of his horrible home life. I think there are some beautiful redemption tales that could be told based on Drake. Hmmm...perhaps a sequel?

• At first I was turned off by the fact that Carwyn, the heroic unicorn in Ryann Watters and the Shield of Faith, closely resembled Aslyn from the C.S. Lewis masterpiece The Chronicals of Narnia. However, that fact no longer annoyed me when I gave the matter more thought. Both Aslyn and Carwyn are based on Jesus, so it would make sense that their story arcs are similar.

Obviously, my lists of likes greatly outnumbers my grievances. I would recommend this series to parents and children. It's gripping, imaginative, and filled with lessons that will help kids better handle issues like bullying, peer pressure, self discipline, and self esteem.

Now, for the fun part. I have an auographed copy of book one and book two in the Ryann Watters series that I will give to one lucky reader who leaves a comment on this post.

If you don't win...don't worry. You can purchase both books online for $20. This special sale ends on Friday, January 15th. Visit www.shop.ryannwatters.com for more details. (Sorry for not linking directly...I'm having some Blogger issues) Even if you do not have children, these books would make a fantastic gift to your local library.

Becoming Me on Facebook

I created a special Becoming Me page on Facebook. I hope to be able to use this page to start more discussions and to get to know my readers better. If you are interesting in joining, the link is to the right.

Returning Gifts From Jesus - At (in) Courage.

I'm at (in) Courage today with a story that I started writing last January. I had every intention of finishing it months ago, but could never find the right direction to take it...until I received some bad news...then it was as if God was whispering to my heart and saying, "That lessen you wanted to share with others...it's for you too."

Two days after Christmas I stood in line behind 19 people. We all fidgeted and sighed as two clerks slowly helped customers exchange unwanted merchandise for store credit.

“It's the wrong size,” I said when asked for a reason why I was returning a blouse. “And my son already has this toy truck” I offered when placing the next item on the counter.

I flashed a sympathetic smile to a woman returning a pair of dark red high heels. “My daughter keeps telling me that I need to stop wearing frumpy shoes, but these are not going to work for me,” she said while handing over the box of good intentions.

Click here to read the full story.