I walked on Christmas day this year for the first time. The roads were clear and the sun was shining. I couldn’t stay inside. We cut back on gifts this year, so Christmas morning was shorter than usual. I still had time to make semi-homemade cinnamon rolls after exchanging gifts and take a walk before we headed to my mom and dad’s house for their Christmas celebration.
As I strode along, a dab of yellow caught my eye. I paused to take a picture. This little flower somehow pushed through hard, cold earth to absorb December’s often anemic sunlight. I was blown away.
Imagine my joy and awe when I spotted a great blue heron standing near a creek about a quarter of a mile down the road. He took flight just as I walked by. It was magnificent. I’ve never seen a great blue heron near a creek. They’ve always been near a pond or lake. I feel so blessed to have noticed these gorgeous reminders of God’s creative hand.
God blesses us with little signs of his steadfastness every day and gives us reasons to smile no matter our circumstances. And think about this: you never know who’s watching. A harassed mother might observe a cashier smiling as an obnoxious customer tells her off. The mom then offers a word of encouragement to the cashier for keeping her cool and behaving professionally. A doctor might notice a husband awaiting a chemo treatment holding his wife’s hand, smiling bravely as she cries. The doctor then shows more compassion to his next patient. These moments comfort everyone involved. They make people smile.
God gave me a dandelion and a great blue heron on Christmas. Keep your eyes and heart open and watch for your dandelion or great blue heron. Keep alert for signs of kindness in this world. All these things are out there, waiting for you to notice them.
Blessings!