Beauty.

 Wherever we look there is beauty.  sometimes made by human hands, often designed by the creator God. Over the past week I've been enjoying the opening lily blooms.  They were bought as tight buds just showing the promise of a sunny colour.  And now, one week later they are fully open in all their glory!  What magnificent flowers ... although they have almost no perfume. 

 Beside them is a full pot of daffodils ... now well past their best but still with that spring beauty and delicacy that is so much part of the season.  

Beside them hangs my icon of Saint Nicholas.  I never tire of looking at the beauty that is there and searching out the depths of the icon.

 With the sun shining everything looks so much better as well.  It is good to take time to stop and admire the flowers, or the icons and pictures that are the product of the hands and imaginations of men and women ...

Enjoy the unexpected moments of bubbling joy that happen when you're filling the dog's water bowl or in the hundreds of other little happenings of the day!  And be thankful.

God our Father,
who from the family of your servant David 
raised up Joseph the carpenter 
to be the guardian of your incarnate Son 
and husband of the Blessed Virgin Mary: 
Give us grace to follow his example 
of faithful obedience to your commands; 
through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, 
one God, now and for ever.  Amen. 

Collect of Saint Joseph of Nazareth