In the Dark?
Try Opening Your Eyes
Introduction
There have been some painful moments in my world this week. It is from this place of darkness, looking for the light, I wrote this edition of Adventure in Reflection. I hope you find something here you need.
A Minute of Motivation
Dare to Care
Self-absorption – this is a common problem in our culture today. Everybody rushing about, minds full of their own problems and their own needs and their own goals. Preoccupation with your own life can keep you from noticing when someone else is needing something. Sometimes we’re too busy or too distracted to care.
I challenge you to be different than the masses. I dare you to shift your focus away from yourself and onto the needs of others. No, I am not suggesting you ignore what you need entirely, but I am encouraging you to avoid the temptation to care primarily about yourself. Self-absorption prevents you from being available to help others when they need time, concern, or attention. The challenge is to be ready and willing to set aside what you need in order to respond to someone else’s need.
Why do we rush around so frantically and miss opportunities to help each other? I suspect it’s partly because it hurts to care about someone else. Their pain becomes our pain. Tapping into the struggle of another will hurt – but a burden shared is a burden lightened. Be willing and available to assist in carrying the burden of another.
When you selfishly hoard what you have to offer to others and use it only for YOUR agenda, you will find your enjoyment and sense of purpose in life is diminished. It is in the giving way of yourself into the lives of others that you will truly find yourself. Dare to care.
Note. Originally written in 1993 and printed on dot-matrix paper. Published for the first time here.
Enjoy Life More
In the dark? Try opening your eyes
One of my daughters is deeply grieving the loss of her first dog, a companion since early adulthood. Though she is many miles away I can sense the pain in her being from sorrow. I talked with her, not asking about her pain, respecting her desire to be strong. We are alike that way when it comes to personal pain. Being strong in the middle of pain is important to us.
She shared her plans for the weekend, plans developed to help with her grief. Instead of withdrawing into a dark place of sadness, she had plans to invest of herself into helping others. I was impressed with this intentional approach to darkness. Rather than closing her eyes and dwelling on her own pain, she was choosing to open her eyes and see others to help.
Are you in pain? If so, I invite you to open your eyes and see someone else’s pain. Self-absorption fuels depression. Focusing on others invites the light into your heart again.
Faith Corner
“The Lord’s mercies never end; they are new every morning.” (see Lamentations 3: 22-23)
Life is so relentlessly difficult sometimes. As a day is drawing to an end, exhaustion is at its peak, the sun sets, and darkness deepens; Running out of energy for the day, our tanks empty, sleep is welcomed.
Then, with the dawning of a new day, strength and hope are renewed. Then, our minds “reload” the problems of yesterday. Gauging our reserves against the anticipated demands of the day, we might wonder if the day will last longer than what we have.
Our reserves may be insufficient. Our strength may not last the day. But the Lord’s mercies never run out. Plus, there is a new abundance available every morning!
Dear Lord, the demands of my day seem greater than the strength in my tank. Help me remember that Your mercies never run out and you offer me Your abundance today and every day. Thank You for supplying all that I need. Help me to look to You and not myself for today’s supply. Amen.
Poetry Pause
L.A.M.E.N.T.
Looking to You, and
Asking for help;
Mercies remembered.
Everything I need is
New every morning;
Today I trust You.
By Cindy MacGregor, October 20, 2022
Note: I heard a great sermon this past Sunday on lamenting and was inspired to capture its essence in this poem.
Old Mom to Young Mom
Blessings Require Sacrifice
Each child is a beautiful blessing. At birth, a miraculous new life, a one-of-a-kind person, is placed in the arms of the awestruck parents. This tiny human, with all of its parts and potential, is an amazing gift.
In those early days and weeks, a heavy reality sets in. This blessing demands great sacrifice. Sleep is sacrificed. Time is sacrificed. Money is sacrificed. Much is demanded from the parents for the blessing of a child.
Sacrifice isn’t only needed to raise a baby. The blessing of raising a child requires years of sacrifice. And there are many difficult seasons past the newborn-induced sleep-deprived one.
The demanding “blessing” is usually ungrateful for what is being sacrificed by the parents. In fact, it may take more than two decades for a new human to become grateful. Sometime after the human you raised is handed their own blessing to raise, a heavy reality sets in:
Just as I am sacrificing myself for my child, my parents sacrificed themselves for me.
A new human is a tremendous blessing; blessings require great sacrifice. My advice to young parents is to ponder, with deep gratitude, the sacrifices of their parents. From that place of gratitude will flow more energy for the sacrifices demanded by your little “blessing.”
Dear Dr. Mac
If you would like to hear what I think about something, please send an email to: drcjmacgregor@outlook.com; I will respond via email or in this section of a future newsletter, or both. I hope to hear from you!