Investments

I have sat here for some time now, beginning to write and erasing, beginning to write and erasing, undecided as to the topic of this blog entry.  So, rather than try to write some poetic blog with absolutely no heart in it, I’m simply going to write my thoughts, however scattered they might be.  I’ve had some wonderful times in the recent weeks.  I’ve been able to spend time with my husband’s family in Louisiana who I love dearly, and I thank God for allowing me into their lives.  We did the typical family cookout, went crabbing (a new, but wonderful experience), and with all the laughter, even shed some tears together along the way. 

Then, I made my way to Alabama to visit great friends whom I haven’t been able to see in a few years.  I arrived in a time of loss for them, with the imminent passing of a family member.  It would seem that it should have been a gloomy visit, but I found that, on the contrary, it has been filled with the exact same emotions as my visit with family.  How could that be??  How could it be that in the midst of death, I could be afforded the same emotional experiences that I had amidst so much life? 

What an honor and a tremendous blessing to be able to both, invest in someone else’s life, and have it reciprocated back to yours, both joy and sorrow.  I stood in the hospice room with my friend as her sister lay there, and was asked to sing her a song.  At first, I must admit that I was taken back, but I was more than happy to bring some sort of comfort to them in such a hard time.  What I found completely shocked me.  Whether or not anyone else had gotten anything out of me singing “Amazing Grace” (it was her favorite), I felt such a connection to this woman whom I had never met.  She was a child of God that was beginning her crossover to eternity with Jesus, and I felt an overwhelming sense of awe about that moment in time.  For a second, time stood still for me, and I truly felt God’s peace in a way I had never felt before. And so, there was sorrow for the pain of family members who would be left behind, but there was also a joy in knowing the end result of her journey, and peace in the knowledge of God’s divinity and love for His children.

How gracious God is, that His mercy outweighs any faults and failures, and that He surrounds us with life experiences to spiritually move us to new and higher ground.  In the back of my car lies a black skirt set that I didn’t think I was going to need but felt led to pack.  The church service that I was supposed to participate in this morning, the morning of the sister’s passing, had fallen through for unknown reasons.  Everything led up to this moment, this moment that wouldn’t seem very important to someone else.  God prepared me for an amazing opportunity to invest in someone, and be invested in by someone in return.  I am so very thankful.  I pray that everyone who reads this will take a moment to think about who they are divinely appointed to invest in today.  And, not just what they are supposed to be giving in, but what they are supposed to be receiving from those God has placed in their sphere of influence today?  Give all of yourself that you can, and receive all that God has to give! Sometimes, the greatest blessings come from the most unexpected places. Amen.