Stay Aware Of The Things In Front Of You

I was looking at some pictures this morning of a vacation that my wife and I had taken about five years ago, and I noticed something that I had not seen before. As I have mentioned in previous posts, my wife has been diagnosed with a progressive medical problem for a little over 2 years now. What I saw as I fondly gazed at some of the many poses that I had taken of her at that time was that she was beginning to lose weight even back then.  This discovery shook me this morning.  What really sent the shock waves zinging through me was the fact that I never saw it.  I was so involved with the changes and events in my own life that I failed to notice the signs occurring in the one that is the closest to me.  Would it have made a difference if I had been aware of it?  I will never know… and that’s the thought that brought tears to my eyes, and sent me to my knees.

Sure, I was going through some challenging times of my own having been laid off from a great job that I had held for twenty years, followed in a couple more years by the closing of the professional photography store that I had gone to work for.  I was struggling and as I look back now, so was my wife.  We have always had a close relationship, a strong marriage and made (and still do) a smooth operating team that couldn’t be beat.  But, I missed the signs.  I was too busy with myself and my world to reach out to her.

Don’t let this happen to you.  Find the time to be an integral part of the lives of those close to you.  We all go through periods of intense pressure and anxiety, but stay in tune to those around you.  Not only will you be a help to them, but they will be able to assist you and help you to bear your burdens through your tough times.  Don’t allow yourself to miss the warning signs before a catastrophe comes upon you or your loved ones.  In reality, my taking action five years ago would probably not have stopped the problem, but it may have made the road a little smoother in the following years.

Now, my story will have a good ending because I believe in the truth and strength of my foundation.  My Bible says that my God, through the finished work of His son Jesus on the cross, has provided healing for my wife.  (see: I Peter 2:24, Psalm 107:20, Isaiah 53:5) So while we walk a very rocky path that we’ve never taken before, I know that it will eventually smooth out and that our foundation will uphold us and strengthen us along the path to recovery.  Take the time today to look deeply into the eyes of those you care for, give them a hug and assure them of your devotion.  You’ll be happy that you did!  Stay tuned and keep asking yourself… “What am I expecting today?”

PS:  As I completed this post today, I went upstairs to see why our dog was barking.  Upon reaching the top of the stairs I burst into laughter as I witnessed her rolling upside down on our bed just barking away and having fun!  Maybe that’s something that we all need to do occasionally… jump on the bed, roll and laugh!... Ah, I needed that, how about you?

*** Check out the picture of our dog Mandie at the bottom of this page! ***