I’m getting a late start this morning. Last night was the first full night’s sleep we’ve managed since we got home, and we allowed ourselves this morning for as much extra rest as we could muster. It was delicious.

We stayed home all day, yesterday. Kevin spent it outside, working on the property, clearing some areas and preparing our big ol’ wood piles for burning, as we’ve reached the perfect time of year for that. I spent it inside, facing down about four times the amount of laundry I usually do in a week. At first it was daunting, but as I was sorting it all, I found myself picking up a shirt or pair of pants, and remembering the day it was worn on the trip. The orange shirt was the day I threw a coin in the Trevi Fountain, the burgundy one was worn at our favorite restaurant in Florence, the blue one at Versailles. Suddenly, the mountains of clothes weren’t as troublesome as they were gratifying, filling me with thanks for such an incredible time.

As I went through all the mail, and continued putting things away and getting settled back in, I walked back and forth through the house. The furniture was dusty, but I caught myself glancing across the dust and seeing the the living room, itself, as the light of day shown on it. Despite the dust, I thought of how pretty that room looked. I’ve always loved how it came together, and it was pleasing to my eye…my home. I’d missed it. The bank of windows across the back of the room were (are) really dirty, but through them I could see the treetops beyond, with yellows and oranges just starting to peek out among the green. It’s beautiful out there. I’d missed it, too.

It occurred to me, again, how, in the burdensome things of life, there really is always good to be found. The cares will always be there, but, just like a silver lining, when you brush off the dust you’ll find beauty underneath.

“Yet I am confident I will see the Lord’s goodnesswhile I am here in the land of the living.” Psalm 27:13 NLT

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT