Beautiful?

Project 31, day 1!

There are many different things I call "beautiful": scenery, acts of kindness, physically attractive people, godly people, a rabbit with good type (remember folks, I own a rabbit business here, so it makes sense...kinda? ;), a pretty vase or painting, getting my schoolwork done quickly, etc.

So my first Project 31 assignment made me think. What is beauty, really? Somehow rabbit-beauty and godliness-beauty just don't seem related.

 In hopes of nailing down the definition of beauty, I decided to carry around a notebook for a couple days and jot down every truly beautiful thing I saw. So here's a list of the things I deemed beautiful today and yesterday: 

-My morning quiet time with God. Nothing but Him and me. Stillness, for once!  I am most aware of His beauty then.
-My mom getting up at 6 AM to joyfully prepare a healthy breakfast for my dad and me. That's servanthood...a mirror of the Biblical example of a godly woman.
-My friend's singing. Oooh, it is gorgeous. She has this solo she sings every week in choir, but it still gives me chills after all the times I've heard it.
-A friend who just listens.  Sometimes it seems everyone in our culture talks and talks. So when someone  takes the time to just stop and listen, I find that truly beautiful! This specific friend has been such a huge blessing to me.
-Boys who act like gentlemen. I love it when guys open doors for ladies and treat them respectfully. Chivalry is an art that seems lost in our generation, so I really do appreciate when a guy makes an effort to treat me and other girls considerately.
-A girl I know who joyfully gives up two nights a week to serve a disabled boy from our church. I want that kind of generosity!
-A new snowfall. Gorgeous!
-A girl from choir who is always smiling and upbeat. Whenever I see her, she pays me some kind of compliment and always brightens my day. She is always looking around to see who she can encourage. I long for that Christ-like inner beauty.

At first glance, early breakfasts, beautiful singing, and snowfalls may not seem to have much in common, but actually, I think there's a clear connection between everything on my list: each thing is a reflection of God's glorious nature. Servanthood was the focus of Jesus' life. Snow and singing are pictures of His incredible creations, gifts to His children. Others-centeredness and joyfullness are His qualities, and people who emulate them so beautifully are filled with His Spirit.

Something is beautiful to me when it reminds me of my Savior. Oh, that I may decrease, so His beauty can fill my life more fully!