What does it take to be an observer of life, to look for the beauty, to have the position allowing perfect lighting and unfolding beauty?

Last night, finally readied to climb into the plushness of my soft bedding, I held my freshly washed pear, sighing with a thankful heart, I laid the pear onto a paper towel atop my comforter right in front of me.

Then I saw the pear. It was in the warmth of my lamp light that noticed how truly lovely it was. Feeling a sense of awe and a parallel silliness for admiring it, I questioned myself.

Seriously, as I looked at it closely I thought of a clumsy yam and of what an odd looking object it was, trying to sell myself on the fact that it was not only ordinary, but it was rather homely.

But my mind couldn’t take in that lie. In fact, I had to capture the beauty I was seeing–which felt both ridiculous and brought me joy at my ludicrous fawning over an ugly pear upon a paper towel.

I grabbed my phone, clicked on the camera, all the while grinning and entertaining myself with the fact it was simply a woody colored pear…on a paper towel. I was having fun.

Why did I admire it so? Why did it make me smirk and mock myself in a good natured way?

There are those of you who already know what I am talking about. You have developed your own observation skills and relish them. You understand that every day is a treasure hunt of sorts and great pleasure comes with the treasures found. You look and scan for wonderments.

Eyes like a child compel me to have “faith like a child.” I am not sure of all the reasons why. Seeing and experiencing life with a certain childlikeness–capturing in words or photo, or my mind and heart, bringing me to a place where I joyously commune with God–like a child. He is the one who made all the things provoking me to marvel and grow in awe. Thankfulness and adoration of Him is the response shouting inside my being: God is good! He loves us!

What does it take to be an observer of life, to look for the beauty, to have the position allowing perfect lighting and beauty?

Eyes and faith like a child.

Have fun kids! Go out and play, like you were meant to do!

I first met Pinkie Le Blum at least a couple of months ago. It was sometime after September. She garnered my attention and I thought I’d love to have her stem clipped to take her home with me. My friend offered it to me but he got side-tracked and forgot. I teased about it. And then he forgot again. He forgot a bunch of times but I knew she was out there beside his driveway, imagining her state to progressively deteriorate, becoming less than beautiful with the span of time and various weather conditions.

But for some odd reason, even though there were other roses and flowers galore about town, I loved her. Yet I let her go and let my friend Jack off the hook.

Time passed.

Then we had the big freeze in the Willamette Valley and everything was incredibly white and beautiful.

And Jack found her with his camera in hand in all of her splendor–Pinkie Le Blum’s finest moments, her crescendo, encased in ice, with her head held high. She had become a showcase of her own, a marvel.

They say, “timing is everything.” She proved this out.

She taught me a lesson. In fact, several. Actually it was God who taught the lesson, using a rose bloom and all of His own creations and conditions…and of course: timing.

Pinkie Le Blum reminds me to trust God more.

To trust His timing.

To be patient because He is always going before me.

Another element of my lesson, half in jest, half on point…

Don’t take my own scissors to a friend’s house

…or I may spoil everything.