Reflect on the World, but Focus on Jesus

Today’s Five-Minute-Friday (hosted by Kate Motaung) prompt is:  Reflect.  Without time to reflect much, we read the prompt and write for five minutes without editing.  Join us!

Soften your focus on the world, and all it's problems, and let your focus remain on Jesus!

Soften your focus on the world, and all it’s problems, and let your focus remain on Jesus!

 

Reflecting comes naturally when your dad dies.  So since October 25 I’ve been reflecting.  A lot.  My mom, brothers, sister and I spent lots of time looking back over the years and I poured over hundreds of pictures.  I looked back at a life well lived, a life dedicated to a God of love and service.  What will my life reflect at it’s end?

I got to post, earlier this week, that my son is 8 years out of his last chemotherapy treatment and still going strong.  What a joy to look back and see what we went through and what a breath of relief to be through.  But next to my post, is a post of a friend whose nine-year-old is deep in a life and death struggle against not only leukemia, but a secondary blood disease as well.  How can my journey help theirs?

I just received word that a childhood friend is on hospice care for pancreatic cancer.  Another just found out yesterday they have a fast growing cancer spreading through their body.  What is their future, and how can I help?

The politics, no matter which party you support, is out of control.  The news is sad and overwhelming and frankly, the future of our world careens like a kaleidoscope of crazy.  What’s my role?  Prayer, obviously, but anything else?

Oh yes.  Reflections have been happening on such an on-going basis at my house that sleep has been rare.

Reflecting can help us let things come into focus

Reflecting can help us let things come into focus

My two youngest had their Christmas program last night and I listened to teenagers sing about the love of God and the birth of a Savior and as I took pictures, my camera tried to focus on the lights of the Christmas tree off to the side of the stage.  I had to focus the lens past it, to catch the faces of the soloists.

But tonight, I’m not going to do that.  Tonight, I’m going to take out my contacts and stare at my tree and let all those hundreds of tiny lights blur into the softness that my nearsighted astigmatism is famous for and I’m going to reflect on God’s love.

Yes, I’ll pray for all the things mentioned above, but I can’t wait for the time tonight when I can let go and focus on the lights.  The peace.  The joy.  The love.  The knowledge that God holds our world and our future is secure in Him because of that precious baby so long ago.

Soften the focus on the world, and reflect on Jesus! #fmf #five-minute-friday via @caregivermom Click To Tweet