Where's Your Focus?
The Alabama mailbox decor of my friend, Ashley McCrary, who while battling life threaten Ocular melanoma, lives in a way that focuses on Jesus and loving others.
Whew! Where is your focus today? This season and life's ever changing circumstances bring with them a barrage of emotions. So does growing older!
Our pre-lit, artificial Christmas tree has been up for two weeks, but nary an ornament or a star sits upon it. One grandson and his girlfriend were hanging out the other day and he said, "Would you like us to put the ornaments on your tree Mama Boo?" I said, 'No, that's okay I don't think we will do that this year. We will just enjoy the lights."
Another friend, in her late eighties who comes to Bible study here at Shiloh, has lost both of her children in the past couple years. Her first husband died in his 40's. She told me, my husband wants me to decorate, but I just can't do it. The same sweet grandson mentioned above lives across the street from this sweet lady and offered to come over and get her decorations out and help her, but her heart just isn't in it.
The pastors of all our church campuses share 3 day, on call weekends. This specific December weekend is my husband's time. Admittedly, I selfishly prayed, "Lord, please give him an easy weekend." Guess that's not totally selfish as that means less heartache for our church members as well. At the time of this writing he was only one day in and it was a doozy of a day. He was in the office by 8AM and by 10, these texts had come in requiring hospital visits. Fortunately, they were all at the same hospital which is about 45 minutes away, sans farm trucks and school buses.
A 7 year old young boy who battles respiratory issues has been admitted to the hospital with pneumonia.
A 13 year old boy, who has been in a coma for a week due to a head injury. He was riding his bike and hit by a car.
A mother with esophageal cancer had 10 AM surgery to remove the tumor. My husband was there to pray and encourage the husband. After the surgeon got in he realized the cancer had spread and there were tumors in other areas, so the surgery was not done.
Arriving back home in the afternoon he sat down for something to eat and another text came. A women from church had a stroke and was in ICU paralyzed on her left side.
"In just a moment" the focus for all these families went from whatever they were doing, whatever was important at the time, to critical life threatening medical needs. Whether the tree was decorated, the gifts purchased and wrapped, the cookies baked, the day running smoothly at school or work, or who was right or wrong in a disagreement, just didn't matter.
The way we live, the way we love, and the kindness and respect we show others does matter for sometimes it's too late to change those things.
Today's "Bless Every Home" prayer is..."Father, thank You for sending Jesus as the Prince of Peace. I pray that Your peace touches every relationship, conversation, and household in my neighborhood. Help me be a peacemaker, not just in words but through action and understanding. Use me to bring unity where there has been division. May Your peace be unmistakable among us." Luke 2:14
So we think about what we cannot see, not what we see. What we see lasts only a short time, and what we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:18
Our Saturday focus has changed. Today will not be about us. God is sending us out to show the love of Christ to others, but I know how this works...we end up getting the blessing. To God be the glory for His focus, for all the things he does, and all the ways he loves us forever and ever. Amen!
The Song
“When Love Was Born” to Mark Schultz
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKSU9Dbxvrw
