Taste and see that the Lord is good. How happy is the person who takes refuge in him!
Psalm 34:8 (CSB)
I’ve been looking for goodness — for that which is sweet, good for the soul, joyful and light; for God’s goodness in everyday, ordinary places. In a new month of a still-new year that is full of possibilities and hope, it only seems right to be on the lookout for good.
What I’ve found is that goodness is everywhere — all around, all the time, in all the places.
By the time this post goes live, my baby sister will have had her first baby. I am honored to have been chosen to be the godmother, and my kids are head over heels in love with their newest cousin. We’ve prayed for this baby, waited for her arrival, celebrated her at showers, decorated for her, and waited some more. Bring on the snuggles, the bottles, the pacifiers strewn about, the late-night texts from my sister, the pure sweetness of a brand new baby. In a world that still holds that delicious newborn baby smell, there is still good.
My middle child starts kindergarten next fall. Hard as I try to clench my fists around the slippery strands of time, it just keeps marching along. Last week, we attended the kindergarten round-up night at the elementary school. My daughter was absolutely giddy to be there. She was dizzy with the attention of both parents solely focused on her, the prospect of her own someday desk filled with pencils and folders, a new teacher, new friends, an entire library to browse during elementary school, and the promise of riding a yellow school bus with her big brother. Her joy was overwhelming, and I couldn’t stop grinning big and silly at her happiness and hopefulness. In a world that still holds freshly sharpened pencils and the joy and hope of attending school, there is still good.
I’ve been making soup this winter. When the temperatures dip below zero, it’s time to drag out the stoneware, dutch oven, and slow-cooker. My knife finds a rhythm in slicing vegetables, my ears love the sizzle of browning meat, and my heart gives a leap as I shake seasonings into the pot and suddenly the soup is more than single ingredients standing alone. Add a fresh loaf of crusty-on-the-outside, squishy-on-the-inside bread and maybe a tossed green salad on the side, and dinner on a cold winter’s night is ready. The satisfaction of cooking is a motivator for me, and the joy it brings me to set a nice table and welcome my family around it is palpable. In a world that holds tables to gather around, family to break bread, and meals to be made, there is still good.
Daily, I dig into my laundry pile. I sort whites and bright colors, add detergent and swish-swash goes the washer. I vacuum up dog hair, fallen from our beloved ten-year-old golden retriever. I load the dishwasher, unload the dishwasher, and load it up again, full of dishes on which meals and snacks were served and enjoyed. I pick up tiny toys and stack books on shelves and go to the store for shampoo and bananas. I check in with family via texts, keep the calendar up to date (paper for me, electronic for my husband), and place books on hold at the library. I plan meals and turn in my hours for work and collapse into bed at the end of the day, thankful for each task ticked off my to-do list and asking for help to finish the leftovers. In a world that holds housekeeping tasks and teems with minutiae-managing, there is still good.
Once a month I meet with friends for “book club.” We do choose a book, and most of us read most of it. But really we gather for fellowship, to laugh and to cry, to eat cheese and sip wine and nibble chocolate. I use the Voxer app every single day to talk to my best friends who are all over the country. We gather once a year for a long weekend, flying and driving in from our corners to be together for a few (altogether too brief) days. We talk Enneagram and books, marriage and kids, writing and blogging and social strategies, hurts and fears and prayer requests, silly stories and laundry tips. In a world that holds friends and book clubs and girls’ weekends, there is still good.
I sit at my computer, typing out words and creating emails. I check in on social media, schedule a few posts, attend video meetings, work with our team to plan out editorial and marketing topics. I pray over each word published. I gather stats and help coordinate graphics and plot future plans. This work I’m blessed to do feels like my sweet spot — ministry + business + writing. In a world that holds work that brings deep joy, there is still good.
God, who loves us as much as He did on day one, makes all things work for the good of those who love Him. He thinks of us constantly, more than there are grains of sand. He created the heat of summer, the colors of autumn, the glittering snow of winter, and the newness of life in spring. He went to the grave and back for us, for me and you. In a world overflowing with reminders of God’s love, there is still good.
The walk to school. The sermon at church. The fresh-fallen snow. The width and depth of the ocean. The warmth of the sun. The crisp pages of a new, blank journal. A hot latte. A letter from a friend. A daisy growing out of a sidewalk crack. Your children, friends, and family. A verse in Scripture that speaks straight to your heart. Goodness isn’t hard to find, especially when you’re on the lookout.
May you taste and see the goodness of the Lord, right there in your everyday ordinary (which is really anything but ordinary).
Tell me, where do you see the goodness of God?
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May you taste and see the goodness of the Lord, right there in your everyday ordinary. -@annaerendell: Click To Tweet Leave a Comment
I see the goodness of God in the mess that my 15 month old daughter has made in our living room. I didn’t see it yesterday, but I see it this morning. I’m so blessed to have her.
Iron sharpens iron….so good when women share with one another and learn from each other
Love those sweet messes! Most of the time 😉
I see the good in the sliver of moon and the bright stars in the early morning sky. So glad I woke up for them and that I am healthy and able to stand on my deck in the chill.
Yes! How beautiful!
O taste and see! Anna, thank you for your joyful words this morning! I see goodness in being ABLE to see. A friend recently had cataract surgery, resulting in complications that now are resolved. We’ve been rejoicing in the gift of the sight — indeed, in all of our senses. They enable us to experience the wonder of God’s Creation and also to enjoy interacting in this life with each other. In that way, I so loved your post today. Thank you for leading us to gratitude, reflection and praise. Blessings on you!
Oh yes Patricia, such a gift we tend to take for granted. Thank you for the reminder.
I hope that everyone who reads these words realizes the profound importance of them. Sometimes the simplest things teach is the most. Anna, thank you so much for this gratitudinal perspective. The good is everywhere if only we focus on it. In my life. In yours. Even in the hard, there is still good everywhere to be found. Thank you, thank you for this reminder.
Thank you for the encouragement, Cynthia!
I see the goodness in the lord everyday. My two boys , Daniel 24 , and Eric 20. The Dailey comings and goings , my husband , my dad, my cousins I bowl with , what fun we have together, my many close girlfriends I spend time with either together or talking on the phone, my many sisters of God that I work with and the many young children that I work with at church and at preschool, oh the love of Gog, Thank you dear Jesus for loving me and showing me the path you want me to follow Dailey, amen,
Yours sounds like a rich and full life! What wonderful gifts, Vicki!
I see the goodness of the Lord in all things. We all have health and He has provided our every need. Right now is a very hard time to see the sunshine because of everything going on in my life at the present time. My teenage girls are growing up having feelings of sadness, disappointments, confusion and seem to have lost their identity and trying so hard to find it. As a mother I hurt when I see them so lost and hurt. I am fervently praying that God reveal to them their worth and that they know without a doubt they are more than enough! Have to constantly remind them that their identity is found in Christ. Thank you for sharing and very true. There is always goodness in everything.
We feel the pain of our children, so raw and real, don’t we? Praying for you today, and for your precious daughters.
Anna,
Even in the midst of trials there is goodness. I see/saw goodness in my old part-time job & the separation that resulted this year. I now have a better paying job with fewer hours & more secure. God uses our slight trials to shower us with something better than we could expect. We may not see it right away, but in the end it will appear. He has great plans to prosper us & not harm us. He is willing to make beauty from ashes. I see goodness in His timing. My lay off happened at a time my hubby was on vacation. We were able to spend quality time together. His goodness is all around me. I shudder to think of doing this life without Him & His protection. Right now I am able to cook for my in-laws & help them out in their later years. God works everything out for His good pleasure.
Blessings 🙂
Beauty from ashes, my favorite thing about the Lord!
Hi Anna,
Beautiful post! What a wonderful reminder to be grateful for the numerous kinds of beauty in our everydays.
Thanks and Blessings, Sandy
Thank you Sandy, blessings right back to you!
I enjoyed this so much! Love your writing. Very encouraging to me:)
Thank you Martha! So glad you’re here.
Well done, Anna! I love your summary statements at the end of each paragraph, demonstrating just how pervasive God’s goodness is in our world. My husband and I saw it on display in a restaurant vestibule, day before yesterday. An elderly man engaged us in conversation for a few moments and quickly had us laughing–several times–during our brief encounter. In a world where strangers can share a laugh, there is still good.
His goodness is everywhere, isn’t it??
There is always goodness in everyrhing, if only I will see, this message will keep me on the lookout now, it has made me more aware. I can see the goodness in giving love to others, and to myself…the simple smile, a gentle touch, a listening ear, a helping hand. The sounds of laughter we enjoy, a child at play in their own little world, exploring everything, from food, to dirt, to snow. Time and memories are precious, sharing life together, while we can, and embracing it to the full, and taking time in the lord’s presence of goodness. Sometimes we need a reminder to stop, taste and see all that has been given to us, placed in our very heart to embrace and share, giving the love we were made in. Goodness is the very attribute of God’s character, looking for it in everything, is as simple as looking within.
Goodness really is at the center of His heart!
Your heart shines. ❤️
xoxo, Mary Ruth. Thanks for being here and for your encouragement.