The Beauty We Don't See

Last night it rained. Not a lot, just enough to dampen the parking lot, the window on the truck, and the ground.

While Malcolm was unloading I took the girls out to potty and stretch their legs a little. We went over to the far edge of the property so that we wouldn't be in the way and hopefully wouldn't be noticed because occasionally one of these places will be picky about that sort of thing. I mean, last week one one of our pickups made me sit at a bench in the parking lot while Malcolm went in and the place we loaded at today wanted me to sit in the office until Malcolm convinced them I was a driver. Then they agreed to let me stay in the truck which was good cause I got a log of blogging done. I usually don't take the girls out at places like these industrial sights, but it was taking a LONG time to unload, and its just not fair to them. So I did it anyway, and standing around watching them, and watching where I stepped so I wouldn't get muddy, I noticed a slug on a leaf. Normally I think they are ugly, but I was curious what he would look like through the lens of my new camera, so I took the girls back to the truck and picked up the camera

and went back to the slug

and took this...

Now, isnt' he kind of pretty. I've never thought of slugs as pretty, or cute, or even picture worthy, but looking at him through my lens, I found that God even gave this little guy his own unique beauty. I think there's a lesson there.

And so, being all inspired on this damp, chilly, Oregon morning, I saw other things. And this is what my mind came up with. So often we just cruise through our day and don't really look around. Some things are unattractive, or we're busy, or we just take it for granted. But, if you look closer, even ugly things like slugs have beauty in them.

We comment on the beauty of a tree, or tall grasses waving in the wind, but we never look down at the ground we're standing on and see what the smaller things have to offer us.

Have you ever considered the beauty in a perfectly shaped drop of water, or its significance? Every little drip, no matter how small, is significant and important. Every drip is full of life that the little drop is going to share with the world.

And if one drip has that much power and beauty, how much more do they all have together?

And even an old ugly industrial sight can have its dilapidates sharp edges softened a little and offer us some beauty to enjoy. We just have to take the time to look for it sometimes.