Well Readers, 

You are in for a real treat. Today’s guest was the very first friend I made in Alabama. At a time when I was desperately homesick, God gave me Denise. It was as if He was using her love and like-mindedness to say He sees me and knows what I need. I have always enjoyed her perspective on life and literature and today is no exception as we lean into find beauty in the ordinary. Please welcome Denise Burroughs! 

Beauty in the Ordinary

In a world where we often seek out the extraordinary, it’s easy to overlook the simple, everyday moments that hold their own unique charm. My recent travels to Iceland left me in awe of its majestic beauty. However, upon returning to Alabama, I found myself reflecting on why my hometown seemed less captivating. This journey led me to a profound realization: there is immense beauty in the ordinary. Every corner of our world has its own story to tell, and it’s up to us to appreciate and find joy in these seemingly mundane moments.

Journey to Iceland 

My daughter and I recently had the opportunity to travel to Iceland. So much beauty and majesty! There were wide open spaces for miles and miles (or kilometers and kilometers).  

Majestic Landscapes and Natural Wonders 

There were glaciers and snow-capped mountains alongside magma fields and geothermal hot springs. Sheep and Icelandic horses dotted the countryside. Black beaches and puffin colonies and humpback whales and quaint fishing villages beckoned throughout our journey. I was completely in awe of this little island and its wonders.  

Reflections on Returning to Alabama 

The closer we got to returning to the States, the more I longed to stay in the vast beauty and peaceful expanse of Iceland. I found myself pondering my little corner of the earth in North Alabama and speculating on why there is so much traffic and perpetual construction and hustle and bustle. I opined that my hometown just isn’t as breathtaking–but why? 

The Beauty of God’s Creation 

I considered the glorious creation of our Father. Job 12:7-9 proclaims “But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?”  

This verse is incredibly potent when peering into a canyon from the top of a waterfall in Iceland, but is it equally relevant when sitting in my car in Alabama watching a graffitied train as I impatiently wait to cross the tracks? 

Perspective and Patience in Everday Life 

When I hear sermons or podcasts about perspective or patience, my initial reaction is often frustration or even disappointment because I am aware how I am supposed to respond to God’s word, but the realities of life often overwhelm my intellect. I already know what I should do; I long for the practicality of how to think differently. I find myself feeling even more discouraged and inadequate because of my inability to see past my circumstances like a “good” Christian should. I want a quick fix and I want answers. I want to be given a process to follow or action to take resulting in relief from upsets and hurt.  

Then, the volume of guilt begins to slowly increase as my inner voice scolds me: “So many people are in much worse situations; I have a warm, dry place to sleep and plenty of food to eat; I have my health and our children are thriving, etc.” Now, I’m not only struggling with keeping a Godly perspective, but I feel guilty because I can’t. 

Biblical Figures and Their Humanity 

When we read the faith histories of Moses, David, Paul, or Esther, it is so easy to dismiss their ordinary humanity. They are famous biblical figures, but during their lives, they were merely human too. All of them no doubt had dozens of sleepless nights and moments of fear and insecurity and indecision. All of them experienced failure and pain along with triumph and happiness. 

Finding Extraordinary in the Ordinary 

Taking in My Surroundings with Fresh Eyes 

Now, back to my initial question: Why can’t my life be as breathtaking as Iceland? What am I doing differently when visiting a new place? I am taking in all the surroundings with fresh eyes. While my daughter and I were relaxed and enamored, the Icelandic natives were going to work or doctor’s appointments or shearing sheep or fixing fences. The landscapes are extraordinary for us but ordinary for them. We so often take our “ordinary” for granted just because we have become numb to it.

What would Icelanders think seeing white sand beaches or azaleas or pecan trees or summer rain showers gliding in on the lake? What amazement would they experience at the sights and sounds of a high school football game in the crisp fall air. How would they react to the unending supply of produce and one-stop shopping in Wal-Mart? (Yes, even Wal-Mart can be a blessing at times.) 

God is in Control of All Creation 

The glorious creation of God is noted from Genesis “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (1:31) to Revelation “Worthy are you, our Lord and God…for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created” (4:11). What I take for granted is an amazement or answered prayer to someone else, and whether in Iceland or the United States, God is in control of it all. 

Only Stand and Wait 

When I feel misunderstood or lost in my loneliness and pain, I have to remind myself of a sonnet written by my unequivocally favorite author, the 17th Century Christian poet John Milton (cue eye rolls from hundreds of my former senior English students). Milton went completely blind in his early forties and was struggling to find purpose in the loss of his sight. He writes a poem aptly referenced “On His Blindness” which ends with the following: 

…But patience…soon replies, “God doth not need 
Either man’s work or his own gifts; who best 
Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best…. 
They also serve who only stand and wait.” 

Milton’s echo through hundreds of years reminds me that even when I feel stagnant and forgotten, my waiting on God is an active state. Simply standing still against forces that are trying to pull me down takes God-given strength and stamina. If a strong wind is blowing against me and I am facing into it, as long as I am standing, I am not falling or getting blown away. Although not my first choice, sometimes it is enough just to look up at the beauty of God’s creation and “stand and wait.”  

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. 
Genesis 1:31 ESV 

Worthy are you, our Lord and God, 
    to receive glory and honor and power, 
for you created all things, 
    and by your will they existed and were created. 

Revelation 4:11 ESV