LIFE is full of JOY….and SORROW…TIME is precious

Today as I write this I am reflecting back on the last couple of weeks in my life.  My life has been one of EXTREME JOY, and DEVASTATING SORROW, all right back to back from each other.  I believe that Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit to be in us, to comfort us and to lead and guide and help us navigate through all of life’s experiences.

Two weeks ago I got to be with my son as he welcomed his first baby boy into the world.  As I took this newborn little perfect person in my arms, I experienced such extreme joy and love like I can never explain in human words.  I gazed on his sweet little lips, and chubby little cheeks, and I felt such peace…that I could just stay right in that place holding him in my arms forever.  I think all grandparents probably experience this overwhelming emotion and rush of such extreme love…it is really indescribable!  They took this little cutie home, wrapped all up in a blanket of their love and hope for him and what his future might bring.  My husband anointed my son and this new grandbaby, layed hands on them, and prayed a fatherly blessing over the both of them at the same time.  My cup runneth over at the love this event held in all of our lives.

The very following week, my fur baby, a beautiful Shitzu dog, got sick and with multiple trips to the vet, we discovered no cure for his extreme illness and he was suffocating.  We had to make the very heartbreaking decision to not allow him to suffer and let him go be with Jesus.  Yes, I believe all dogs go to Heaven.   As my husband and I held him in our arms, we saw him close his eyes, and take his last breath, as he went home to doggie heaven.  We proceed to cry loud, sobbing hot tears, and went home together …to grieve the loss of our loving dog of 11-years.  He had given so much love to us, we were blessed to have him for that amount of time.  The pain of the loss of him is still very fresh, and I am crying as I write this.  Our home is not the same without him, and we truly experience the loss of him here with us.  Our other girl Shitzu is looking for him and stays very close to me, as I believe she is grieving too.  Grief is not new to me or my husband, but it still hurts just as bad as the first loss of a loved one.  I am thankful for the prayers and support of my friends at this time.

This got me to thinking….do these two emotions sometimes come so closely to each other.  Did God give us NEW LIFE and the JOY of it to prepare us for the LOSS of LIFE and the SORROW it brings?  Do the two coincide together in life…for a reason?  Jesus experienced both JOY and SORROW.  I believe that these two emotions can sometimes bring the balance that we need into our lives. 

When we experience the sorrow or loss, I believe it shines a spotlight on the people, dogs and blessings that bring us joy in life, to make us appreciate them so much more.  It really puts things into the right perspective…to have an ongoing …”attitude of gratitude”!  I now will look at LIFE with a new appreciation just because of what has happened to us recently…life is so fleeting and temporary.  The things that we work so hard to seek after…money, status, recognition, cars, houses, etc…will all pass away.  What I believe is key that I want to focus on personally…is LOVING WELL!  Loving the family and friends that God has put into my life!  Loving my children, grandchildren, husband, mother, brother, sister, friends…and yes…my fur baby so much more!  I want to be more intentional about “MAKING TIME” for them now…as TIME is something we will never get back once it’s gone!

We read here in the Bible  in Ecclesiastes some verses that talk about time…that time and events even are “cylindrical” that they can repeat themselves.  I believe there are some lessons in these verses that joy and sorrow is all a part of life.

Ecclesiastes 3:3 To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:² A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;³ A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;⁴ A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;⁵ A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;⁶ A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;⁷ A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.⁹ What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?¹⁰ I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it.¹¹ He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.¹² I know that there is no good in them, but for a man to rejoice, and to do good in his life.¹³ And also that every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour, it is the gift of God.¹⁴ I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it: and God doeth it, that men should fear before him.¹⁵ That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been; and God requireth that which is past.

I thank God for the Comforter…that gives me peace and grace in our time of sorrow. I thank God for being the Creator that gives us new life in the form of children and grandchildren which bring us such joy.

2 Corinthians 1: ³ Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;⁴ Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

I thank God for the COMFORTER! I pray today that we pay attention to those things and people around us we love…live more AWARE and GRATEFULLY for TIME!  Time that God has given us….to love and time to LIVE!

James 4:14 Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.

Life….is …just..a vapor!