Beauty in the Midst of Chaos

By Bethany Davies Whitaker

Many, many apologies. I’m so terrible at staying with something. I love writing but I’m also a procrastinator and that leaves me with many unfinished projects and goals. Anyway, an update on my life. I just finished my junior year of college and its crazy to think that this time next year I will be a college graduate and possibly…..married. Blake and I have been talking alot more about our plans. Now I just have to get the ring! =D I wanted to share something I wrote with you all a couple of weeks back. I’ve found that since starting my journey to strengthen my relationship with God, I’ve slowed down a lot. I’ve always been a go-getter. When I have my mind set on something, that thing consumes my whole life. But recently, i’ve tried to focus on noticing things around me in the present instead of focusing on the future. This world and life is a hard one and it’s normally chaotic but stopping to “smell the flowers” isn’t as cliche as it sounds. You begin to appreciate the beauty of this world and you start to see underneath the chaos and darkness that seems to constantly surround us.

I love people and the wonderful stories they speak to me. I love searching for beauty around me. In each sunrise, and sunset. In spring, flowers and in the summer, barefeet and lightning. In color changing autumns, and frozen icicle winters. Each season is a gift from the Creator of it all. I’m an “old soul” you could say. I love vintage thrift store finds from clothing to furniture and everything in between. I love my family and my friends. My dog is like my child. They are my treasures. One of my major goals is to find beauty in the unexpected. In suffering, mourning, long days, and seemingly evil things. That is what keeps me going in this often chaotic life, along with good music, and plenty of yummy coffee.

I won’t ever stop searching for beauty now because it’s found everywhere! In the songs of the birds first thing in the morning, and in the simple presence of another human being. I find beauty in helping my community and caring for abused children. Beauty is found in resolved conflicts, forgiveness, tears, and laughter. It’s found in green grass and blue skies but also in rainy days and cloudy skies. It’s found in second chances, new love, old love, and long lost friends. It’s found in family dinners, board games, long walks, and naps. Beauty surrounds us. You just have to open your eyes. You have to take the time out of an ever filling schedule and just STOP.

I believe God is the maker of all things beautiful. He’s a master at turning dark to light. Evil to good. Negative to positive. And ugly to beautiful.

For me, it’s making an effort to notice these beautiful things. It could be that you’ve always seen birds but never appreciated them. Maybe someone is rude to you and you never even thought that there is something beautiful about that. But there is. We can smiles at that person. WE can be the change we wish to see. We can make a difference by being kind and loving to them. That’s beautiful to me. It’s knowing that life is full of brokenness, but even in that, there can be beauty. So much beauty can be found in broken hearts, broken plans, and broken relationships. By recognizing that there is beauty in these things, means we are seeking and looking for something deeper, something revealing, something new. God can use broken things and make them beautiful if we allow Him to.