Monday, April 5, 2010

life is beautiful...

La vita e bella! Italian director Roberto Begnini directed one of the most amazing films where a family faced with horrific situations was able to find moments of beauty in the mundane and even painful. When all hope was lost and death triumphed, the characters whispered, Life is beautiful!

This week is a new week, I'm excited to be alive, and I didn't workout. Intentionally. I woke up eager to make moments beautiful. Instead of focusing on trying to save the world while balancing a 9-5 job, I want to chronicle what is beautiful.
Because really, if Clark Kent could save the world and manage a desk job, so can I!

Mom is cancer-free, Dad is sleeping, family is healthy. Life is beautiful.
Turning 30 and I have my health, wealth, and slept in until 5:40am. Life is beautiful!
Lost the Biggest Loser competition at my gym, but I lost seven pounds. Life is beautiful!
Jasmine's closet better than ANY store because she let me borrow anything I wanted for Easter. Life is beautiful!
Impromptu birthday dinners with amazing friends. Life is beautiful!
Food in the fridge, a roof overhead, water to drink, and a bed to sleep in. Life is beautiful!

King David and I have a lot in common. Okay, okay, so he was a king, had tons of money, and ruled people. I get that. But when I read his songs of praise in Psalms, I feel like he is writing from my mind and heart.

Psalms 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
When we feel lost in life, lack joy, or desire pleasures, they can be found in the mundane and sometimes painful moments of life. But like David emphasized, it is through God that we can whisper out, Life is beautiful!

What is God doing in YOUR life that is beautiful?

29 comments:

Stephanie said...

At the risk of sounding like a Christian cheeseball...

I'm learning that even when the comforts of this world, my dreams, and my independence are stripped away, God is...faithful, good, holy, just, Jehovah-raah (my Shepherd).

The beauty is found in surrender, and as I give my life over to Him (and seriously, I have to do it every. stinkin'. DAY. because I take back control on an hourly basis!) He makes my heart BEAUTIFUL. He creates in me beautiful desires that mirror His will for my life, and His way, B, is ALWAYS beautiful.

*end cheese* ;)

Jason said...

Happy birthday, Bianca.

4 of Us said...

Healthy children, husband's amazing job that gives me the ability to stay home with my kids, God's grace. Psalms 16:11 has always been one of my faves since college. Hope you have a blessed birthday tomorrow!

Dana said...

That was BEAUTIFUL!!! ;-)

God is so awesome!! The beauty that He brings into my life is in the form of the people I am blessed to come into contact with! I had an awesome time in Houston documenting one of the most special birthdays I've ever had the privilege of attending! The experience was definitely a reminder that life is not only beautiful, but breathtaking! Today I launched one small piece of a larger dream for my life. A life lived for God is beautiful!! My family is together and we are so blessed... it's all just so amazingly beautiful. =)

I praise Him in the good times and in the bad. He is worthy!!!

Annie said...

He's reminding me that I am HIS and that HE put the desires on my heart there. They aren't an accident and neither am I. HE is faithful to always stick with me -- even when I'm running full bore in the opposite direction. HE is the One that knows what's truly in my heart and He loves me anyway. HE is the one who has given me friends (those I know face-to-face and those I know screen-to-screen) who dare me to "keep it real" and be the best Annie I can be.

HE is awesome!!!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Bianca! I am finding beauty in what God is redeeming... things I thought were once lost forever...

christy said...

In the midst of tribulation, my husband is ministering and sharing with others the love of Christ...our love for eachother is growing, and I am so thankful he puts up with my faults and weaknesses, and my children are dealing with it pretty good! My children are healthy...my thirteen yr old son actually enjoyed the Easter sermon our pastor gave (the jr. high kids had to be in the sanctuary for easter service)....my dad is finally going to church with us (praise God)....I am forgiven, redeemed, loved, and saved by Jesus and get to be with Him forever (even though I deserve the total opposite)

Thanks for the great post!

Maggie said...

That's what Mondays are about for me, counting my blessings in the midst of fussy children, piles of laundry, stacks of bills and messy house. I joined the graditude community on holy experience. I find doing this on Monday keeps me looking all week to find those things that make life beautiful. Thank you! Beautifully written.

Diandra Ann said...

BEAUTIFUL.
YOU are beautiful!
And I am still taking your picture.
xoxo

Happy Birthday week!

Carrie Krupke said...

What is God doing beautifully in my life? He has helped me recover from PTSD as a result of a car accident. He has given me a wonderfully caring husband who works hard to provide for us in a job about which he's passionate. God has given me 3 jobs that use the skills He's given me and wonderful people with whom to work. He has given us Spring and plants popping out of the seemingly dead earth. He has given us His Son so that we may have eternal life! Praise Him!

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday Bianca.

Anonymous said...

Happy Birthday!!

He is working in my mind. No small feat. ;) I notice it physically when I run, emotionally when I worship, and loyally in my friendships and family.

And my mind has often been the battleground of many of my fights. It feels as though as He transforms my mind everything else changes.

Life is beautiful!

Erika F. said...

Not trying to be rude, but why would you basically promote Rick Warren through your Twitter? Rick Warren preaches a watered-down, sugar-coated gospel, and is a danger to the church.

Katherine said...

Amen!

jeanette said...

Everything! God is beautiful, Mary is beautiful... so yes, Life is Beautiful!

-j
xoxo

Cristal flores said...

Really is our Pastor is sleeping all night,
If he is Praise God......
Where ever God has us at ,,Life is Beautiful ,, we just have to embrace it.

Happy early Birthday Day B

May your day be filled with yummy cupcakes...

We Love You
Flores Family

Marisa said...

my husband baptized me yesterday after we spent four months living apart. God has redeemed and is redeeming SO MUCH in my life, there is no way He cannot receive the glory!!

Anonymous said...

Yesterday on the 3 hour drive home from Orlando visiting the grandparents I kept getting random wiffs of flowers. But every other time we've ever made the trip, the random smell has always been manure.

It was a good day.

Anonymous said...

Accepting the gift of salvation and having a relationship with the Creator through Jesus makes my life beautiful!! As well as having my handsome hubby and close family and wonderful friends who love Jesus- YOU!! Love you Bi!!

Unknown said...

had a wonderful weekend with my husband and enjoyed some quality time together! It was beautiful!

Lindsey said...

Right now everything in my life is beautiful. I turned 30 in February and honestly, my life at 30 is very different than what I expected it to be...but in so many ways it is so much more beautiful than my expectations because at 30 I have the perspective to see that I serve an amazing God who is right on time and who takes everything no matter how ugly and turns it into something beautiful and who is 100% right on time in my life...even when it doesn't feel like it to me.

For the record, 2 months into 30, I have to say that it is pretty fabulous!

Harmony Loves said...

you are so very beautiful and an amazing person, I can tell just from your blog :)
Happy 30th! I know you'll continue to do amazing things :)

Melinda said...

Let's see...I've been married to my best friend for just over 5 years. My mom is fighting cancer and the tumor is 56% less than it was in November. I have a great job. And a hottub at my apartment - ahhhh...

Laurel said...

Just gotta say ... that is one of my all-time favorite movies.

ALL my children are loving Jesus ... Life is Beautiful!!!

Loving our new church home ... Life is Beautiful!!!

Loving our new island ... Life is Beautiful!!!

Love my Bloggy Friend B. (no one is ever too old to be "adopted" by Mama D). Life is Beautiful!!!


Mama D.

Sare said...

Happy Birthday Bianca!
Praying for you and for Tanya today.

Take care and beautiful post, you truely are a gifted writer.

Aurora Mckeehan-Vilchis said...

WoW! I just watched this movie an hour ago! Such an awesome reminder of a Fathers love and keeping us safe through our trials. Amen to this post sista! Life is BEAUTIFUL. Thank you this.

Gabby said...

My God is beautiful. Therefore, my life is truly beautiful!!!

BY the way Clark Kent aint got nothing on you girl ;)

Love ya BB

Tish said...

God is giving me the desire to treasure Christ more than anything else. I'm not saying I am there yet, but He is placing that deep desire in my heart, so I know He will grant it, as well.

Bianca, you are amazingly wonderful!

Laura E. Gonzalez said...

I've never seen the movie life is beautiful...but I remember his cute acceptance speech :) Life is beautiful because JESUS IS LIFE (John 14:6) and all He gives me my salvation, my husband, my children, the earth, yosemite, the beach, the mountains...ahhh are all beautiful. Great post :)

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