In Marfa, everyone looks for the lights. Orbs that hover near the horizon. Scientists have not found an explanation for them. They are a mystery. And so, of course, when we traveled to Marfa, we searched for those lights. There's this little roadside stop that was built especially for searching for those Marfa lights. But alas, it was too cloudy, too hazy and we didn't see any. At first, we were disappointed. The kids were ready to see aliens. Even though none have been spotted. Where do they get their ideas? But as the weekend progressed, we were struck by the friendly people, the beauty of the area, the sheer vastness.

It made me think today about how sometimes we are searching so hard for something, trying to see it, trying to achieve it, that we miss the beauty of the landscape, the splendor of a setting sun, the majesty of the mountains in the background, the simplicity and friendliness of a genuine smile. It's good to focus but not to the exclusion of everything else in our life. So take a moment, breathe deep, look around, find something of beauty and allow God to speak to your heart.