Each mother had a different response to her journey.  One daughter recalled that her mother wept the entire way west. She was mourning the loss of her comfortable lifestyle in the east and fearing the unknown wilderness that was before her. The other daughter wrote that she had fond memories of her mother being awed and amazed at the stunning landscape as they progressed westward. From the rock formations to the wildflowers, her mother didn’t miss the unique beauty that surrounded her.

 

I’ve been thinking about these two mothers lately. As I travel through the various seasons of life,  do I  mourn the loss of comfort and ease, resent that I haven’t arrived at my destination yet, or fear the unknown future?  Or maybe I am simply on automatic pilot, cruising through the routines of the day not really noticing anything but the next item on my to-do list.  I want to be like the second mother:  mindful of the stunning landscape that surrounds me as I travel.  I don’t want to miss the grace that is all around me whatever the season I’m journeying through. Whether it is as striking as humongous rock formation, as gentle as a prairie, or as subtle as a wild flower, I want to see it and soak it in. I want to show it to my children, and the women who journey with me. I want it to stir up deep gratitude and worship to my Savior through whom this grace is made possible.  

 

Father, open my eyes to see the stunning landscape of grace in my life that is unique to this particular journey. May I not grumble and complain through the rough patches, or become indifferent during the monotonous stretches, but help me look around at the beauty of grace that surrounds me in the stunning landscape of life.

 

What beauty do you see in your landscape today?