Happy Sunday! It’s Memorial Day weekend and no doubt most of us are thrilled to have an extra day off for rest and refreshment. It is good to remember that Memorial Day is designated for us to honor those who lost their lives serving in active military duty. Many also use this day to celebrate loved ones that have gone on before us. The occasion sometimes brings solace and sometimes brings loved ones around the dinner table via backyard BBQs.
What is most important this year – and every year – to me is that we focus on what is beautiful and honorable in this one life we have. Those moments that are made possible because of the sacrifices of those who paved the way for this generation.
I wrote this phrase down a few weeks ago, and it likely came from a podcast or someone pushing others toward inspiration.:“What is the most beautiful thing you have EVER seen?” I have held onto it for a bit, feeling that there are so many ways to answer the question. My mind went to the depth of our country, of those serving and protecting us. It then went easily to Greece and the almost unbelievable beauty of the water and white buildings and then to a myriad of options – my grandparents holding hands while walking into church, babies and toddlers giggling non-stop, fields of flowers and nature trails leading to the water… I could go on for hours. After some thought, I chose the image above.
The picture is from our family mission trip to South Africa in 2012 led by the One Life organization. This is of my son and a beautiful child he was playing with. The look on his face is beautiful. The moment was beautiful. This is what joy looks like to me – unbounded joy is beautiful. It’s the most beautiful thing no doubt.
We went because I wanted to expose my boys to different cultures. However, I am 100% sure the greatest impact was on me. I could not get the scripture, “The harvest is plenty, the worker’s are few,” out of my mind for months and it still pops up frequently. Always pushing me to ask myself if what I am even doing is enough. There is so much work to do both inside of our country and outside, but the contrast in true need can only be found by firsthand interaction with other cultures. This work is an opportunity for all of us to find, seek and create beauty. To serve one another.
Today we honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. We are all here today because of the sacrifices of these men and women and their families. May God always help us to hold deeply and provide us heart’s to serve others. That notion brings beauty.