Think on These Things

If any of you read what I write with regularity, I hope the message communicated is one of hope, one of encouragement, and one that might leave you with a grin, if only for that moment. If you do grin, pay it forward, for you never know when it might return to you…

One of the most challenging weeks of my life just closed, as another opens. It seems there are those whose life work is to make another’s quite miserable and obsolete. It seems there are those who thrive on controversy and diminishing the life and work of another.  It seems there are those who are just miserable themselves and know no not what to do with their time, other than to tear another down.

I took sixteen years to write 96 pages a story about my personal pain and loss, a memoir entitled OUTER EDGE OF GRACE. All of us have it, that is, pain and loss. I just chose to write mine down. My challenge is in finding something, anything, in the ashes that can equate to some kind of redemption for all the pain and loss suffered. My pain has been no worse than yours, my losses, most certainly no greater. 

It is in the redemption of all pain, of all that is lost, that I speak of the loudest. It is in truth and beauty found, I hope to never lose sight of again. It is in all color, which crosses my path each day that somehow, someway, offers solace, joy, and peace.

You see, there was a time that I might not have thought so much on redemption, on beauty, on color. There was a time I was consumed with busyness. Busyness was my price tag, and I hope you know that we all have a price tag. It took me much pain and loss to figure out just what my price tag was. It took me years to find peace with all who have worked to inflict pain. It took me years to realize that it is only in the recognition of the forgiveness I have been given that I can be wholly capable of forgiving.

However, the aforementioned lesson continues to be tried and proven as I continue to breathe. I am far from being without blemish. It is in my imperfection that I realize His perfection. It is in my naiveté that I continue to always believe the best, hope the best. It is in my child-like mind of believing that each situation, each encounter with another is a new day, if you will.

What I continue to fall short of realizing is that in some way, we are all jaded. I used to not really know what that means. I never thought about it, for I was too busy to notice another’s pain. My only supposition can be is that it must be a secondary and tertiary reaction to pain inflicted that others become jaded, become mean, if you will. There are some things that I can recognize, but can never understand.

Although I could write for years about all disclaimers regarding myself, of which there are many, it would be a boring, yet colorful litany. However, rather than write about my foibles, I choose to write about the hope I’ve found in spite of them. I choose to capture images that remind me of the eternal hope I’ve been given. It is that Hope alone that I will awake tomorrow realizing that the new day presents opportunity to learn from my foibles of yesterday.

“If there isanything of beauty, anything of good repute, meditate on these things night and day.”

©sarah_beaugez_thinkOnTheseThings~2014

When you tell the paint store to mix the wrong Color

I had a hard time picking out the paint to begin with. But once I made the decision on Tansy Green by Sherwin Williams I knew the kitchen cabinets had to be red. I tried three different reds and decided upon one of them which I thought was originally by Pratt and Lambert called Faded Rose. So at $60+ per gallon, I called and told them to mix what the painters needed. There were several patches of red paint all over the wall and even on a cabinet door. I was confident I had it correct and didn't go back and check myself. Tuesday afternoon the painters had not even started to prime and told me they would only have one coat on the cabinets by yesterday morning.


We got a call about lunch time that the painting was finished and were ready to be paid. When I walked into the house and saw the cabinets, my heart sank but I didn't panic. I stood there and just looked at how good it looked with the green, thought about the fact that we're going to paint the outside brick in the same family and knew that re-painting would mean more time and money.


Then I looked at the breakfast room fixture and realized it had that color and red and teal and amber in the stained glass. I can work with anything, but especially trying to make the best out of an un-solicited situation. Freddy said, "Awww it will be fine. If it's not you can re-paint it later."

Now, I'm kind of really excited about it. I've got photography and other art work I'll use to pull it all together. Keep watching and reading. It's gonna be great!