• Life is a miracle in form and spirit • There is beauty in the simplest of things around you • The fragility of life can be daunting • When you are shattered much is revealed about yourself • Embrace positive thoughts and healthy ways • Ideas and inspiration give birth to greatness • Change happens when cracks form in life • Transformation and change can be painful • There is growth and potential when we persevere • Sometimes growth can be messy • Rolling with situations can reduce stress and avoid crashes • Renew, refresh as each evening you rest • Much amazing good can come from single small beginnings • God is our source of nourishment and strength
– From “Reflections from the Everyday” Charlotte-Anne Allen
• May we see beauty beyond the outer facade • True compassion grows and shines from within • Gathering together can be encouraging and supportive • There are times when we just need to be alone • We sometimes emit “offensive odors” in our daily lives • People can raise a stink when they are unhappy • The warmth of a sunshiny disposition can draw crowds • Flying around without thought can cause confusion and crashes • Applying pressure to situations often results in unpleasant consequences • Travel can open one’s eyes to many things • Surround yourself with what is nourishing for both body and mind • May your words to others be more than annoying buzzing • Be present for God, who is always present • God is with us in the deepest darkest crevices and sunniest windows
– From “Reflections from the Everyday” Charlotte-Anne Allen
• Where there are knots, there is growth • Wisdom grows from our experiences • See the beauty that is drawn from our imperfections • Character is reflected in how we shape our lives • Rugged places can build depth and empathy • Hold on to positive values to avoid holes • We are stronger when we come together • Enjoy the quirky things in life • Build a strong base connection to meet each day • Surround yourself with positive influences • There is beauty in a life well-lived • Stand tall and support and learn from each other • Sink yourself deeply in God’s Word • God is our secure connection to life and being
– from “Reflections from the Everyday” Charlotte-Anne Allen
I loved to go camping with my family when I was a girl and always looked forward to the campfire every evening. We would gather around the warm soft light of the fire and talk, perhaps roast some marshmallows or hotdogs, or make “S’mores”. As the fire died down, we could watch the stars or track the moon in the night sky. Summer was a favorite time for camping, enjoying the sunlit meadows or resting in the shade watching the flickering beams of light shining through tree branches.
Have you ever thought about our relationship with the light around us… light that we all encounter in some form each day? There is something about light in whatever form… firelight, sunlight, moonlight, candlelight, and even artificial light that draws our attention. Sunlight helps our body make vitamin D, regulates our immune system, can ward off anxiety and depression, and encourages well-being and happiness. Moonlight regulates our sleep cycle and affects the reproductive systems of people, animals, and plants. Firelight imparts a sense of safety, as well as warmth and provision, and candlelight lends meaning or calm to occasions. With electricity, there came a means to extend our activity into the night hours and within spaces that have little or no natural light.
I was coming out of the grocery store recently and saw a double rainbow briefly shining to the east as a late evening shower caught the falling droplets just right. To the west, the setting sun cast brilliant color through the clouds. How beautiful!
Think of all the metaphors or comparisons we use about light and the lack of light. Light is life. It speaks of truth, knowledge, understanding, things that are pure. Light reveals things, perhaps maybe that’s why those who are dishonest, are doing wrong, or who intend harm to others so hate light, and those who represent the qualities of light.
This makes me think of the Bible’s frequent use of “light” as an illustration. God created light and compares Himself to light. The Pharaoh of Egypt took great notice when the plague of darkness spread over Egypt and the book of John compares Jesus and God to light:
In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome (or understood) it. John 1:4-5
Wow! That is so encouraging! There is much that I do not understand and sometimes life’s challenges seem impossible to overcome. Do we step out? Do we see God and recognize His light, especially when our path seems dark?
Light speaks of faith and trust. It reveals to us our Creator God, bringing us comfort and guiding us to who He is. Whether we are resting in the lighted comfort of our homes, before the soft glow of a campfire… or struggling in a dark place, may we draw closer to that greatest Light. I’m so glad that He’s our source of life and fills that essential need in all of us.
• A true home is where you can be yourself • We draw nourishment from positive words and actions • Create surroundings that protect you and don’t tear you down • Tough exteriors often conceal soft hearts • Beauty comes in many forms and colors • Good can be found in the midst of movement and storm • When mired in trouble seek the light • Care from others helps heal cracked hearts and lives • Make your home a place where others can find shelter • Do not let life’s true treasures rush by unnoticed • There is much to discover at a slower pace • God’s power moves us, forms us, and protects us
From “Reflections from the Everyday” Charlotte-Anne Allen
• See the beauty woven into the fabric of life • Hope is like drops of dew amidst fragile strands shining in the light • Outward fragility can belie strength and purpose • When sticky situations rear up, hold on to what is good and kind • Dishonesty builds tangled webs of deceit • Nurture that which builds lasting relationships and overcomes storms • Attend to tremors and shakings signaling significant arrivals • If caught unaware, we run headlong into that which can trap us • Know there is still purpose when we are dusty and spent • Recognizing our smallness builds humility and empathy • The spider’s mountain is still a mountain • We are nourished as we are being formed • Be one who draws others to receive healing • When ragged and torn, turn to God who makes us new
– From “Reflections from the Everyday” Charlotte-Anne Allen
• Giving does not divide, rather it multiplies and nourishes • Generosity in sharing what you have grows blessings for all • Disregarding the value of others brings heartache and misunderstandings • Gather together what is needed to guide you • Our lives are a rich mosaic of colors and patterns • Look for the beauty in small things as well as grand displays • The beauty of a life brought to wholeness gives us hope • God will comfort us in our brokenness • We often struggle when we cannot see the whole picture • Looking at all perspectives and options can help gain clarity • Receiving memories shared by others is like finding missing puzzle pieces • Apply yourself to learning and to gaining skills bit-by-bit • Trying new things adds color and interest • When all is dashed to pieces, there is God to gather us
From “Reflections from the Everyday” – Charlotte-Anne Allen
Bright stars piercing the night with their clarity Or shimmering through tree branches and distant cloud What vastness and might you speak of! What awesome power and beauty!
We look, we behold such majesty Mind does not contain The works of our Creator And His great love for us
Stretch our arms wide We who stand below in our smallness Securely wrapped in the arms of God Bright stars showing us His splendor
The Still Small Voice 