Have you ever been driving along and have seen a bumper sticker on another vehicle that gets your mind churning? I’ve read plenty that I’ve regretted using the brain space to read, but every now and then I see one that hits me just right. The other day I saw one that said, “Look about you” and was within the outline of the state of Michigan. Driving in my salt-covered truck, seeing melting piles of brown snow, and longing for the sight of green grass, my “looking about” was not too fond of our mitten state. That being said, there’s plenty about Michigan I absolutely love. Lake Michigan, Silver Lake Sand Dunes, our many forests, cool downtown areas, and so
much more. If I pause, and truly look about, Michigan is actually pretty amazing, even when it’s
in the midst of cold and dreary days.

This bumper sticker got me thinking in a much deeper way about my own life. It helped me do a
brief assessment of how things are going in my life experiences. It made me pause and change my perspective. My thoughts of, “I really don’t like paying my bills” were changed to, “I get to pay bills for the home that keeps me warm.” From being frustrated with the person who just cut me off on the way to school, to being thankful I get to actually get to drive a car to a job I love. It
helped me change the annoyance of my kids who were being loud, to a feeling of gratitude that
I have kids. The bumper sticker gave me a moment to be grateful by “looking about” my life and
seeing the beauty and blessing that is so apparent, and I just needed to change my thinking.

Obviously, we all have our own life experiences, and some life experiences are incredibly
challenging. It can be hard to look about and find the blessings at times. In those moments, look to what Scripture says in Psalm 107: "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.”

I encourage you to “look about you” and see the good in life. And when it’s hard to find much
that is good, remember we serve a God who is good, and his “steadfast love endures forever!”
May you have a wonderful week, looking about you.