God2Share

Today is the day.

She will have the test.

I cannot be with her, this beautiful woman forever connected to my soul.

I wish I could sit by her side.

Gently hold her hand.

Offer her some kind of peace as she walks through this storm.

There is a helpless feeling that goes along with watching someone we love so dearly go through something so painful.

Maybe you know that feeling.

Maybe the person you love isn’t facing a health crisis.

Maybe they are going through a divorce, the loss of a loved one, financial problems or addiction.

The pain we face takes many different forms.

We want to be with those who are connected to our souls.

Sit by their sides.

Gently hold their hands.

Offer them some kind of peace as they walk through the storm.

But even when we cannot sit with those we love, we can lift them up to the One who never leaves their side.

“The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4 : 5 -7

I am grateful that when I cannot be there, I know that He always will be.

My feelings of helplessness turn to hope.

Father, I know today you are with her.

You are connected to her soul.

May she feel You sitting by her side,

Gently holding her hand.

I pray she feels the peace You offer as she walks through this storm.

May the love and prayers we offer to those we love and hold so dearly carry them through the storms of life.

Pray to the One who never leaves their side or ours.

Amen.

It is a rainy October morning 

There is a chill in the air.

I pull out the afghan my grandmother made me and curl up on the couch with my coffee.

This treasure is over 30 years old.

When Tootie was still alive, she crocheted afghans for everyone.

Children, grandchildren, great grandchildren.

She made afghans for my friends, and even made matching ones for me and my roommate when I went to college.

When she had enough money, we would go to Newberry’s so she could buy more Wintuk yarn to make more afghans.

She did not have much, but she offered whatever she had.

Her afghans and prayers.

And she offered both until her last breath.

This was her way of showing love.

We do not always recognize the ways others show love.

To some, this covering is just simply a blanket.

But for me, to know what went into making this love offering makes this afghan a timeless treasure.

Jesus recognized how others showed their love for Him.

“Now when Jesus was [back] in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper,  a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very expensive perfume and she poured it on Jesus’ head as He reclined at the table.  But when the disciples saw it, they were indignant and angry, saying, “Why all this waste [of money]?  For this perfume might have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” But Jesus, aware [of the malice] of this [remark], said to them, “Why are you bothering the woman? She has done a good thing to Me.  You always have the poor with you; but you will not always have Me. When she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. I assure you and most solemnly say to you, wherever this gospel [of salvation] is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told in memory of her [for her act of love and devotion].”  Matthew 26: 1-13 AMP

To some, pouring this expensive perfume from the alabaster vial onto the head of Jesus was seen as wasteful.

But for Jesus, He knew what went into bringing this offering.

This was her way of showing love to Him.

An act of love and devotion.

One that would be told about for many years to come.

As I look down at this worn afghan, it reminds me that love is shown in different ways.

May God give us the eyes to see the many ways love is offered to us.

May He also help us to find the ways we can offer our love to a broken world.

Even if it is through afghans and prayers.