My new God-given friend, Jesse, and I had a little talk about *beauty* yesterday.

It started when I told her that her daughter could be one of those child beauty pageant winners. She has long, beautiful hair and big, beautiful eyes. She’s gorgeous!

We talked about how we can use beauty for vain purposes, or for God’s glory. And, of course, we yearn for our children to choose to use their whole lives for God’s glory.

Anyway, it got me thinking about beauty.

I get a mean little voice in my head sometimes when I think about people who are really physically beautiful. I think its name is Jealousy, because I’m just not one of those strikingly beautiful people. (I’m not saying I’m homely, and please don’t feel like you have to stroke my ego in the comments. I’m just saying – my looks won’t take your breath away.)

But beauty is a good thing. God created the world and our bodies to be beautiful. His creation is breathtaking. The intricacies of the things he’s created are beyond amazing.

Isn’t it just wonderful to contemplate a God who didn’t leave us on a gray earth, with only concrete and no color or life? Instead, he gave us a vast array of beauty to see every day!

And I see it in so many places.

In Jaden’s face when he smiles at us.

In Ava’s giggle when she’s being tickled.

In Grace’s little-girl drawings. Today she wrote a card to Caleb that said, “To Caleb. I love you, and I don’t want you to cry.” Beautiful.

In Caleb’s efforts to take care of his brother.

I see beauty in marriage. Last night we were watching Little House on the Prairie, and an elderly woman said to her husband, “I’ll be happy anywhere as long as we’re together.” And Luke said to the kids, “That’s how Mommy and I are.” And he held my hand. Beautiful.

I see beauty in the church – Christ’s bride. A body of believers who are affected by the fall and yet have a solidarity and a purpose together. Our church is our family. The universal church is our extended family. Beautiful.

I see beauty in the cross of Jesus – His unspeakably horrible death. I see beauty, because wrapped up in it is God’s plan for our redemption and His great love for us. The sacrifice that Jesus made on our behalf, while unthinkable, is also beautiful.

In this world full of hurt and sin, I want to see beauty. As we approach the celebration of Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday, that’s what I’ll be looking for.

Tell me – what beautiful things to do you see in your world?