They are simply filthy.  Baby size five - I seriously consider dumping them into the trash and going to the store to replace them!  Instead of course I send them out with the older cousin to hose them down which only makes a minor improvement.  But Mommy washes and dries them and I see them like new running again on those sweet little feet. No one would ever guess they had looked like this!  What I didn’t see looking at these mud destroyed baby shoes was the great fun he was having with his little buddies at the park.  Summer rains had turned all dirt into muddy spots which little boys never think to avoid.  In the end there was a baby turning all boy happy as happy can be and modern cleaning products restored the shoes.

I can’t help but reflect upon how many other “messy sights” have I seen this week and only interpreted them on the negative side- never considering even the remote possibility that there might be a positive happy story behind the mess.  I came up with these:

A husband in a coma on the couch- the basement bathroom we’ve been working on for a couple years nearing completion (the grouting did him in!)

The front rock path to the porch full of weeds- turns out grandson needs money and I had a job to offer to earn it!

A kitchen stacked high with dirty dishes and sticky counters- a couple of wonderful dinners around a real table where friends and family actually carried on conversation.

A bank charge due to a forgotten automatic withdrawal plan- A vacation weekend with my husband away from all normal reality - we just enjoyed each other as if there were no one else in life.

An office so deep in stuff I can hardly maneuver through it- quality time with grandchildren this summer making memories that become the pearls of my life.

People working hard carrying grills, tables, chairs etc…- enjoying the summer breeze and great food under the shade trees after church. Sitting with people I usually just hug and say hi too-catching up with the daily experiences of good friends.

You may share my list or have your own or have a lot more to add!  Just in reviewing this short one I will forever remember I have a wonderful life when I look at this photo of the baby’s shoes!