Beautifully Plated
Have you ever gone to a nice restaurant and the food is served with what they call garnishes; little decorative items placed strategically on the plate to make it visually appealing? It doesn’t have to be some fancy-schmancy place for the kitchen staff to place a sprig of parsley or a decoratively cut piece of lemon on the plate alongside your entree. What do you do with them? If you are like me, you don’t give them a second glance, but instead you flick them to the side, out of your way as you go about the business of eating what you ordered. And in a way, that’s sad, considering someone went to the effort to make our meals a bit more enjoyable and it’s ignored.
Our lives are much the same. Each day, our plate is loaded with things we must do: places to go and people to see. We plow into them with gusto, much the same as we do in eating the main course. We focus our attention on the to-do list and on the priorities of the day, and in so doing, we miss the garnishes of life. God has seen fit to garnish our lives with so many good things; some small and some not-so-small. When is the last time you really looked a a sunrise or a sunset? They happen everyday, you know. Have you recently appreciated the colors of the turning leaves or the unique smell of autumn that is in the air? Have you taken the time to spend with your children or grandchildren- experiencing the wonder of small miracles like a caterpillar or a dandelion? Have you relished the time spent with your loved ones preparing a meal or even cleaning the house together? Have you taken time to hold hands with your spouse or have you been too busy? These, my friend, are the garnishes of life.
God richly gives us everything to enjoy. I Timothy 6:17b (New Century Version, NCV)
A life well-lived is one that sees the value in things others miss. When we take the time to appreciate the daily wonders God has blessed us with, our lives take on a different meaning. Yes, each and every one of us is dealing with challenges and difficult situations in some form or fashion. However, when we specifically look at the good things in life, no matter how small, we begin to appreciate how beautifully plated life really is.
