I’ve never pretended to be a neat freak.
In fact, those of you who know me, even somewhat well, are laughing right now. 😉
I wouldn’t label myself a slob…it’s just that I definitely flirt with the cluttered side of life sometimes, and I think there are days (weeks? months? YEARS?) that go by when I don’t even notice it. 😉 That might be, too, because it’s so much how my brain is All. The. Time.
Seriously, friends? I feel Sooooooooo. Scattered. Lately.
I can’t believe how much, some days, my head feels like it’s just spinning at a rate I can’t even comprehend.
I even made REAL to-do lists…that’s kind of (mostly) unheard of for this girl. 😉
The other day I was looking at this picture I snapped…the one of the flowers my hubby brought home…and I realized how much MESS there was surrounding what was supposed to be the focal point of the picture.
Ay, ay, ay.
Do you ever feel like this picture?
I have to admit that when I first saw it and took in the mess, I kind of shuddered.
But then…well, I started to see beauty in it.
Beauty like…
…flowers. Well, duh. 😉 Because gerbera daisies are my favorite, and he knows that. I’m loved. And blessed.
…a wipe-off board. One my three year-old is using to practice her letters. Her little brain is soaking it all up. Blessed.
…a sweet photo from Chuck E Cheese. Memories of a day with my girl that was so much more fun than I could have imagined.
…a water bottle from workout a few nights before. I’m healthy, strong, and able to push my body hard. Blessed.
…a stack of books and my Bible. There’s so much out there to learn, so many ways He wants to grow me. Blessed again.
…a winter wonderland outside. Granted, I’ve had it up to my faux hawk 😉 with snow this year…as most of us have. But when I look out and see a beautiful view and am reminded of the blessing God gave us in this home, well…I know I’m blessed.
…a Compassion envelope on the table containing a letter from our sweet, sponsored child in Indonesia, Putra. Thank you, Jesus, for the blessing of being able to pray for him and to be part of His life. I’m the one being blessed here.
And, as I’m processing the millions of blessings I’ve been given?
I look closely and see the words printed on the vase, the one my hubby picked out of the cabinet.
Grateful for simple blessings.
It’s true that life is often messy. Whether the mess covers the dining room table, the living room floor, or just resides in a busy life or dreams that are All. Over. The. Place… 😉
There have been days lately…a lot of them…when I can’t quite figure out the mess.
When I look at my dreams and I have no clue where they’re going or what they look like.
I see them changing in ways I wasn’t expecting.
I see a rough draft that has been almost-untouched for months.
And I wonder what He’s doing in all the mess.
And maybe I don’t know the answer to all of that, but I do know that I can trust where He’s going when I don’t.
There are so many blessings. SO. Many.
Even in the beautiful mess of the unknown.
I need to count them more often.
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Linking up with two of my favorites today!
On Tuesdays, I hang out with some of my favorite friends at Crystal’s place, where she hosts Behind the Scenes.
Behind the Scenes” is a fun link up where we show those photos – but tell the real story behind them. The sneak peek behind the scenes, a look past the edges of the photo to the real life behind it.
And I’m also linking up at God-Sized Dreams, with my favorite dreaming sisters!
I hope you’ll join us for the sweet, sentimental, and silly stories that make up our days…and our dreams. 
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My sweet friend, Holley, who has blessed me so much with her heart, her words, her life…she’s releasing her new book today! (And it’s soooo good!!!) Would you join me in cheering loudly for her?! And you can buy it here, too. 😉
Yep, love this!!
Thanks, friend!
Hey Mel, I have that very same vase but a different color! Love your space!
BTW
UrSObeautiful2me!
Thanks, friend! And the vase comes in more colors? Hmmm… 😉
I love this perspective, it brought even more beauty to the photo the second time I looked at it
You are sweet…thank you, Katie! Hope you had a great Tuesday!
I am a neat organized person hide inside a messy girl. I love the realness of this picture in which you have opened your life to teach us to see the beautiful in it all. Thanks for sharing. Praying you have a blessed week.
I struggle…I wish I was more organized on the outside. Most of the time it works for my brain…but not always. And I know my hubby would adore me forever if I’d clean up the table more often! 😉 Happy Tuesday, friend. (((hugs)))
I love your heart, Mel. Just to make you feel better, last week my daughter had a play date. The little girl’s mom left her sunglasses behind when they went home. At church the mom asked me, “Did you happen to find my sunglasses, I left them on your kitchen table?” I hadn’t noticed she left them because I hadn’t looked at my table in the three days which has passed after they left. We were busy running errands, eating out, and piling up clutter. It uncovered my not-so-neat atmosphere. LOL Have a great day, friend!
Oh, that made my day. SO something I would do!
My goal for tomorrow is to actually clean up the table, so much that my hubby is shocked…we’ll see! 😉 Hope you had a great Tuesday, friend.
Glad we can share our literal and figurative messes with each other! You don’t have to clean up for me!
Thanks, friend. (But I’ll at least make sure there’s a doggie-hair-free place to sit while we drink coffee!) 😉
I’m right there with ya! I call it organized chaos 😉 My husband would call it mess.
You have a faux hawk?! Can’t wait to see it…so cool!!
Haha…I love you, friend. I always tell people I like chaos when it’s MY chaos. 😉 And the faux hawk…well, some days. It’s fun.
Love this! What an encouraging perspective.
And those daises are my favorite flowers too – it’s what we had in our wedding!
… or daisies.
😉 Thanks, friend! Hope you had a great day!
I love this, Mel! It’s so easy to get lost in the chaos & forget to stop, regroup & focus on the beauty all around us! I actually wrote a post on “Finding beauty in chaos”: http://myhearthiswords.com/2013/12/30/beauty-in-chaos/ Living that concept feels like “mission impossible” to me! I’m a neat FREAK!! HA HA Anyway, thank you for sharing! I love your perspective! ?
Thank you, Satin! I’ll go read your words soon…thank you for sharing the link! Happy Tuesday!
Mel,
It takes courage to find beauty in the mess sometimes — love this! But your photo doesn’t really look messy — just a few nice reminders of sweet memories!
There are so many blessings to be found. I’m counting this year for the first time and well…counting is a blessing! I keep trying to start a t0-do list and never get very far.
If I recall, I think I noticed you are near the Chicago area…me too. (Pardon me if I’m way wrong on this.) And, I’m so ready for spring!!!
Visiting from God-sized Dreams today.
Blessings.
I am! We’re in the outer NW burbs…near Elgin.
Any chance you’re close? And, oh, the to-do lists…yeah, I don’t usually get too far, either. Mostly because I’ll go to do one thing and find something else to do on the way! 😉 Hope you’re having a great week, friend!
oh friend, to see the beauty in the messes is so hard sometimes, but you did wonderfully! Maybe you could come help me clean up some of my clutter
and we could find beauty in time spent together … I can dream, right?
It sounds like a wonderful dream…I hope someday we can make it happen!
Love you, friend. (((hugs)))