Collecting Seashells

During our vacation we spent a day at the beach.  Our son, Seth (4 years old) decided this was his year to collect sea shells.  It quickly became a mission...perhaps even an obsession for him. He was determined to collect as many sea shells as possible. 

Last night, when we were washing his sea shells of sand, I had the chance to actually look at his collection. I was amazed by the colors and designs.  He found shells with colors I have never seen before--red, pink, a cool color of black and white--I was really impressed.  I said, "Seth, you found some beautiful shells."  He said, "Yeah, I know."  I think he was somewhat disappointed that I had just now seen what he saw two weeks ago at the beach.

I wonder if God is some times disappointed in what I miss. I don't mean a "He's mad at me" kind of disappointed, but rather a genuine heart-hurt, that I, his child, misses noticing the beautiful sea shells he scatters all through my life every day.

O, I know...I am just getting back from vacation and so perhaps I am more apt to see the sea shells of life, but isn't the goal for us to learn to see them every where and to help others do the same? 

I will be honest, God has brought me to a point of spiritual conviction about this since the start of 2012. I have been thinking on Philippians 4:4-13 just about every day and it starts with, "Rejoice in the Lord always; I will say it again rejoice."  One of the Bible verses my kids and I do every day is, "Give thanks in all circumstances" and "This is the day the Lord has made let us rejoice and be glad in it."

Over and over again the Bible highlights God's desire for us to take notice of the sea shells. There is reason to rejoice always in the Lord.  There is reason to give thanks in (not for) all circumstances.  This is the day the Lord has made (not yesterday or tomorrow). This day holds reason to rejoice.  When God sees his children taking note of the beautiful sea shells he scatters all around and about us through his presence every day, he loves it!  He loves it not just because we notice, but because when we notice...when we live a life of gratitude and joyful recognition of his goodness, then we become contagious; we make him appealing to others who desparetley need him.

So, sometime before the sun goes down today, I encourage you to look around and find a sea shell from God.  Pick it up.  Look it over. Notice all the details of its small beauty and then look up and say, "Wow!  God you made some beautiful sea shells in my life."  Then listen and be encouraged when he says, "Yeah, I know."