It's the way lights get a halo when it's raining. It's the ticking noise that old-fashioned clocks make. It's rain boots and umbrellas and the different ways people say "umbrella." It's the crisp snapping noise when you flick open a new trash bag. It's the beautiful sound and the enthralling sight when you pour water over parched soil.
It's warm cookies on a cold November day. It's the soft peaks in whipped cream. It's old pictures and the smell of old books. It's the crinkling noise of Bible pages. It's funny hats and strangely patterned scarves. It's the little girl who hides behind her mommy in the grocery store. It's singing Taylor Swift songs to your lunch. It's streets named "Christmastime Lane," that you know stay named that in the middle of July.
It's the amazing fact that the word "kerfuffle" actually exists. It's giraffe-patterned pillows. It's googly eyes. It's wiggling your toes in a soft carpet. It's ties, handsome ties and funny ties and bow ties. It's knowing that at any given moment, somewhere a mother is holding her baby for the very first time. It's the clicking noise that a keyboard makes when you type with long fingernails. It's taking five minutes to wash your hands because you're blowing bubbles with the soap.
It's the little things in life.
"We are all in the gutter," wrote Oscar Wilde, "but some of us are looking at the stars."
Dear Jesus...I thank You for the little things, for You have made them, just as You made the big things. I know that You have placed us in our particular situations for a reason. Sometimes, we might not be able to see that reason, and we get frustrated -- with ourselves, with the people around us, with life, even with You. Our eyes are fixed on the gutter surrounding us, and we can so easily get caught up in the annoyances that come with it. Oh Lord, draw our eyes to the stars. Show us the little things. Teach us to smile at the things that might seem the most insignificant, for they are precious gifts from You to remind us that You are there. You give us stars. You give us moments. You give us the little things. "I have learned the secret of being content," and it is that "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." And Christ is so good to us; He gives us little joys that would make up so much of life, if only we will notice them. So oh, God! let us notice them! Let us see Your hand and Your great affection for us in the everyday. Give us hearts and eyes open to the wonder and joy of the little things.
