%20(9).jpg)
Create Harmony
This is a podcast about setting an intentional rhythm, savoring life’s blessings and learning how to use our imagination as a way of listening to God. If you want to learn more about how to bring stillness and gratitude into your life you’ll probably find a lot here that you love. To find out more about what's going on in the Create Harmony world, check out www.mycreateharmony.com.
Create Harmony
The World Needs the Wonder You See: Celebrating Everyday Joys
Imagine seeing the world through fresh eyes again - where rain creates magic puddles for play, forests hide enchanted worlds, and wonder waits around every corner. That's exactly what this episode of Create Harmony invites you to do.
Summer invites playfulness, and our "Play it Forward" series embraces this spirit wholeheartedly. Unlike "paying it forward," this concept encourages us to rediscover our inner child's sense of wonder and then spread that joyful energy to others. The series alternates between guided nature visualizations and good old-fashioned storytime sessions that transport us back to those magical moments of childhood when imagination ruled supreme.
This week features a reading of Joanna Gaines' beautiful story "The World Needs the Wonder You See," which perfectly captures how perspective transforms everything we encounter. The narrative reminds us that wonder often hides in plain sight – visible only to those willing to look beyond the obvious. Where some see only distance lights in the night sky, others discover extraordinary celestial landscapes. Where some notice only miles of ocean, others glimpse spectacular underwater cities.
The story's message resonates deeply with Create Harmony's core philosophy: what we focus on shapes our reality. By deliberately turning our attention toward beauty, creativity, and goodness, we transform not only our personal experience but potentially the world around us.
To learn more, go to mycreateharmony.com
Welcome back to the Create Harmony podcast. So this is a place that you found where we celebrate everyday joys and we pay attention to all sorts of good things that are happening all around us all the time that we get into our busy schedule and forget to notice. We get our inspiration from nature and all of its glory and we really relish the changes in the seasons. This is a place of creativity and introspection, but don't worry, everyone is welcome to join in and you can find your place here, and as you're doing that, we hope you'll also take a few minutes to lift your spirits and find some fun in your everyday routine. So this is episode 131, and I am your host, sally Burlington. So we're in the midst of the summer season here where I live in North Carolina. So the way we're doing summer this year is that we're doing a series called Play it Forward Not pay it forward, but play forward and we're really trying to be more playful and just focus our attention on how the spirit of summer is uplifting and upbeat and outdoors and just fun, loving and getting things done and being responsible. We are childing. We're looking back to the playfulness and wonder of our inner child and so the rhythm that we're using is every other week we're doing two different things and we're swapping back and forth. One week we have a guided visualization, and all of the themes of those visualizations are nature and things that are outdoors and breezy and uplifting, and the other week we are having the good old fashioned story time, just like you had when you were in kindergarten and you sat around on the carpet and you listened to a story that your teacher read. And I'm just sort of inviting you into these fun, loving stories from childhood and hopefully that will spark some playfulness within you and then you can spread that playfulness within you and then you can spread that playfulness out to the world around you spread that energy and that's the play it forward part. So our story for today, today this week's rotation, is story time. So our story for today is called the world needs the wonder, you see, and it's by Joanna Gaines, and while I'm reading it, I'm going to begin to read it right now, and while I'm reading it, you may hear me turning the pages, just like you had in storytime in kindergarten. But the difference in that storytime and this storytime is that you are going to be making pictures in your mind of what you're hearing me read about. So you're going to be imagining what you would see on the pages. So here we go. The world needs the wonder. You see, today is the day a new adventure unfolds as we set out to explore the many wonders the world holds. Wherever you are, there's so much to take in, and we know curiosity is the way to begin.
Speaker 1:Wonder can sometimes hide in disguise, even to those with eyes open wide. But come with us and we'll show you how to discover the miracles all around. Some step outside and see only the ground and sky, but when we look close we see a grand parade of ants marching by. Some watch the rain and see a long dreary day, but when we step outside we see magic puddles for play. Some pass a forest and see only trees far and wide, but when we inch close enough we see an enchanted world deep inside. Some reach the ocean and see only miles of sea, but when we look deeper we see a spectacular city. Some walk beneath the stars and see only distant lights, but when we stop and look up we see extraordinary sights.
Speaker 1:So by now you can probably see there's always more to look for in this great big world of possibility. For some it's unearthing beauty or searching for surprise. One thing we know for sure is that wonder is never in short supply. We may not all notice the same things from the start, but together we see that wonder lives in everyone's heart. Keep your mind open and let curiosity guide the way. You never know what wonderful thing you might find.
Speaker 1:Today You've learned from one another and now it's time to shine. See how beautiful the world can be when we share what we find. You were made for discovery and this we know to be. Oh, how the world needs you and the wonder you see. So that's our story for today, and what I love about that story is that it reminds us that where we focus our attention really affects the world. It affects us and it affects the world around us, and so that's really part of our discussion here is let's try to focus our attention on those good things that are there the beauty of nature, the wonder of the world and not get caught up in all of the ho-hum, depressing things that happen in the world, but just focus our attention on blessings and goodness and creativity. So hopefully you felt inspired by that story to go out into your life and do that and hope you'll join us next week as we continue our Play it Forward series throughout the summer. And until next time, peace, thank you.
