It’s Valentines Week, the time of year when we become Love focused for a bit. Some people feel sad during this time if romance isn’t in the picture. That’s unfortunate and it seems far more productive to focus on just upping our love game in general.
Lately I’ve been writing and speaking about the art of noticing. I’ve declared that in my new life part of my job description now is be a noticer.
I started with creation. I noted that the sun rises and sets daily and maybe I should just watch and notice that more.
Then I realized all of creation is filled with beautiful and stunning things worth noting. I read somewhere that when we pause notice any part of creation it is as if we are worshipping God.
In a devotional reading this week, Oswald Chambers wrote The prophet Isaiah made people look up at the heavens in order to use their imagination properly. If we are children of God, we have a tremendous treasure in nature and will realize that it is holy and sacred. We will see God reaching out to us in every wind that blows, every sunrise and sunset, every cloud in the sky, every flower that blooms, and every leaf that fades. My Utmost for His Highest
Spiritual people are called to see with imagination what cannot quite be seen. What if nature is infused with God’s unseen presence and signs? What if our job was simply to notice?
I imagine the call to notice extends to other living creatures as well. When my dog wants a pet she rolls onto her back, hoping I’ll notice. People crave being noticed and seen. Jesus was particularly good at seeing people.
Maya Angelou once said, Your eyes should light up when your child enters the room. I wonder what would happen if our eyes lit up when anyone entered the room?
I see you sunrise, sky, flower and tree. I see you daughter, son, spouse and grandchild. I see you, dog needing a pet and hungry family struggling to make ends meet.
I see you person sitting alone or clenching your teeth in the grocery store line. I see you person with hands and plate full.
Love doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It begins with noticing.
Dr. Cindy Ryan is a pastor, wife, mother of three, Mimosa to Keller, breast cancer survivor and noticer.
Dr. Cindy Ryan 