Beauty for Ashes?


 There is a phrase I use in these devotions quite frequently. I say something about when life gets ugly. My point is that it doesn't match the picture of normal, or what is expected by the norm. Yesterday, I almost typed it out when I stopped. I understand the concept - life as a caregiver isn't always what everyone else thinks is beautiful. But who cares?

Just as I was about to type life gets ugly I realized it's not ugly at all. Is it difficult? Yes! Is it abnormal to most? Yes! Does navigating the day-to-day get complicated? Absolutely! Do I get tired? Yup! But for just a moment God let me see the beauty in caregiving. Isn't it really about one person laying down their life for another? A life of self-sacrifice that many cannot and will not ever understand? Isn't that what Jesus did for us? That's beautiful.

The way my son looks me in the eyes speaks volumes although no words are used - that's beautiful. 

The way my aunt relied on me to care for her - she let me help her in her final years. That's beautiful.

me and aunt polly

The overwhelming love I feel for my son each time I dress him, pick him up, move him from one place to another - that's beautiful. 

Now, I don't know if anyone else can see it or not, because quite frankly I'm on this journey alone. But I'll never call this life ugly again - because love is beautiful and the beauty is even more pronounced when it comes through sacrifice and pain. Sometimes you don't know how much you love a person until it costs you something.

Hebrews 12:2 says that Jesus endured the cross, despising the shame - for the joy set before Him. We are that joy! What a beautiful picture of love. God so loved the world... not the church, not the saint, not the Pharisee, not the sinner - the world - the whole world and everyone in it - that He sent His son. He didn't send Jesus to paint a pretty picture. He sent Him to suffer on behalf of others - us! That's the beauty of love, laying one's life down for another.


Today, as I go through my tasks, I'll focus on the beauty behind the pain. I refuse to see it as "ugly" anymore - because loving someone enough to lay your life down for them - is the most beautiful thing about life. I'll remind myself that you are there - my precious readers - and you are laying your life down one day at a time too. God sees our beauty - whether we can or not! I'll lean into Him on this journey today and thank Him for loving me so beautifully - will you join me?


Comments

Post a Comment

Our Most Popular Posts

Find a New Hobby for These Surprising Benefits

Image
   Hobbies can help us connect to our creative side, spend quality time with our loved ones , and boost confidence, and, as EverydayPower.com notes, they can also promote mental and physical wellness . Whether you’re learning something new from a class or taking the initiative to tackle a project at home, practicing a hobby can improve your quality of life enormously. Looking for something fun to do with a friend or loved one?   Here are a few suggestions when you’re ready to find a fun new hobby to try:   Choose something that boosts your health   It can be challenging to take care of your overall wellness at times, especially when you’re busy taking care of family obligations. Learning to focus on your physical and mental health needs is much easier when it’s fun, however, and that’s where a hobby comes in. Look for one that helps you get active , such as a yoga class, or consider starting a walking group or joining a local organization that allow...
Read more

But I Have Today

Image
Do you ever have days that are just heavier than others? Of course, you do - who am I talking to? Saturday was Chris' 37th birthday. For some reason, it was unusually hard as I thought of where all his friends are today. You know, married, having kids, and enjoying their careers. I cried more than once that day. I grieved over what should have been, what could have been.  I hugged him a little tighter and thought about the progress he's made recently. The other night, I am certain he "sang" to me after I got him in bed. It was the sweetest thing and I posted it in his Facebook group where I share things I don't feel I can share as "publicly." He's moving more and initiating more of his movement on his own. There are many things to rejoice about. At the same time, I am getting older. My joints hurt and I wonder how much longer I can take care of him. I fear the day that I won't be able to. This is the way the rest of my life looks, and I am okay w...
Read more

No Get Out of Jail Free Cards?

Image
  Do you ever feel like life just doesn't let up? Sometimes it seems like caregivers should get some sort of exempt card. You know? Something that lets us stay in the cave without having to deal with all the craziness that's going on in the world. Well, it was just a thought. I guess there are no "get out of jail free cards" in life. A pandemic rages on and we didn't get an exempt card, did we? Political and civil unrest didn't qualify us for one either. We have to deal with all the craziness in the world plus our caregiving responsibilities. Isn't caregiving enough? Dealing with aids who don't show, people and family who do not know how to help so they avoid us, and the traffic of health care professionals of all sorts is enough for any given day. Yet it happens over and over again. How do we stay sane?  Caregivers are resilient - we just keep going. Every night I go to bed feeling like I failed. I didn't get enough done. It's easy to focus on...
Read more