Connecting with beauty- what kind of beauty resonates with you?  How can you make time to appreciate that beauty?  How can you grow in that beauty?

Each of us is uniquely created.  Part of that is how you are equipped to respond to different beauties.  We hear beautiful music and it moves us; that is universal.  What is unique is what each of us perceives as beautiful music and how we respond to it.  You may prefer a certain type of music because you just can’t sit still when you hear it.  You instinctively move your body in response to the rhythm.  I, on the other hand, have zero sense of rhythm and can’t even clap my hands in time to music.  But I can vicariously enjoy that kind of music by watching others who are gifted in dance.  I can remember happy times as a child replaying a record of “Peter and the Wolf” by Prokofiev.  I pictured the story in my mind as the various instruments changed in tempo, volume, and mood.  (BTW, this recording is a great teaching tool to introduce children to the instruments of the orchestra.)  How can you increase your enjoyment of the beauty of music?  Do you need to set aside money to attend concerts?  Do you need to be more intentional about including music in your daily routine?  Do you need to save time in your schedule to make music?  Maybe dancing could be a boon to your soul and your body.  Just think, exercise disguised as fun!  A friend of ours swing dances 5 times a week and there isn’t an ounce of extra fat on her body.  Don’t use age or marital status as an excuse.  She’s nearing 70 and is single and finds that no barrier.

God’s creation is an endless treasure of beauty for all of us.  He could have made the universe strictly for utilitarian purposes, but he lavished beauty on every aspect of his creation.  Blazing sunsets probably don’t serve any purpose other than to delight his creatures.  The far-flung galaxies beyond our grasp in their magnitude hint at the majesty of their Creator.  The crazy variety of his earthly creatures each with their own peculiar beauty is mind-boggling.  Just think of the multitudes of unique ocean creatures besides all the land animals, birds, insects, and plants.  Add to this the beauty of land formations covering the face of the earth.  How can you increase your enjoyment of this vast physical beauty?  I’m so grateful for video documentaries like “Planet Earth” so I can see places on our planet that I will never visit. How can you plan time to slow down and just soak in the beauty of your environment?  Who can you invite to enjoy it with you?  Where would you like to visit?   Set an intention and work toward making it happen.

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the victory, and the majesty. Everything in the heavens and on earth is yours, O Lord, and this is your kingdom. We adore you as the one who is over all things.”  1 Chronicles 29:11

“They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.  For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”  Romans 1:19-20

Just a little aside.  Even when you can’t travel, any of us can get enjoyment from seeing birds wherever we live.  Let the beauty of their colors, flight patterns, idiosyncratic movements fill you with delight.  Why not allow yourself the luxury of stopping and watching without guilt?  You could plant trees and shrubs for bird habitat if you have a yard, or simply hang a bird feeder outside your window.  You may even deepen your enjoyment by learning more about the birds you see, learning their names and their habits.  One great, free phone app for this is Merlin Bird ID from Cornell University.  Is there someone who could engage with you in enjoying the beauty of birds?

Many people enjoy the beauty of paintings, photographs, and sculpture.  The richness of fine art from ancient Egypt to the present is available to view for free thanks to the incredible power of the internet.  Of course, viewing in person is the best, but few can afford to travel the world.  If you are wired for art, don’t impoverish your soul by being too busy to enjoy it.  Whether it’s creating it yourself and/or feasting on the work of others, make it a priority in your week.  There is so much instruction available online, no aspiring artist has an excuse to not pursue and improve their craft.  What can you do to free up time to nourish your soul with the beauty of art?  Do you have a friend who is creative who stimulates you to work on your own art?

Crafts can provide an outlet for your creativity and release tension.  A happy byproduct is that they produce something lovely for others to enjoy, too.  Making something with our hands and hearts is satisfying and important for our mental health.  Taking a class or learning from a friend can help us explore and find a craft we’re suited to.  Associating with others interested in the same craft pushes us toward greater accomplishments.  Online is one path to gain from one another’s expertise in specific fields.

Don’t feel guilty about nurturing your own physical beauty.  It isn’t wrong to want to be beautiful.  Investing in our health, which is the foundation of beauty is worthwhile.  Doing what we can to optimize our better features is smart.  Trying to look 30 when we aren’t, isn’t.  Accepting the aging process is wise.  I try to keep in mind God’s comments on women’s physical beauty.

As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades.  But the word of the Lord remains forever.”  Isaiah 40:6-8  (Who hasn’t felt wilted and faded?!  But we have enduring truth to base our lives on.)

“Do not let your beauty be external- such as braiding the hair, wearing gold jewelry, or dressing up in fine clothes- but let it be the inner person of the heart, the unfading beauty of a gentle and tranquil attitude, which in the sight of God is precious.  This is how the devout women of old made themselves beautiful (adorned themselves).  They put their trust in God and accepted the authority of their husbands. . . Do good and do not fear anything that is frightening (intimidating).”  Another translation says, “not letting anything make you afraid to do good.”  1 Peter 3:3-6  (I want to be fearless, don’t you?!)

I think these verses mean that beauty is much more than skin deep.  We can’t depend on pretty things to make us pretty.  Our attitude speaks louder than our appearance.  Tenderness, peacefulness, respect, and courage are what make us lastingly attractive.

Be gracious by accepting and appreciating each other’s differences in the enjoyment of beauty.  Affirm their unique gifting, desires, and views.  Find those who share your bent and spur each other on to be the best you can be.  Invest in your inner beauty by allowing God to form you into a kind, calm, respectful, and brave woman.