Joy For the Unpleasant Moments

The Devotions this week are in memory of my Mother, Shirley G. Self,

who went to be with the Lord Sunday, April 19, 2009.

Joy For the Unpleasant Moments

   

God’s plans for your life does not include regrets

But joy when you give of yourself!

My mother had been on dialysis for about 6 weeks.

My sister, Carole, has been taking her

for her dialysis treatments during the week

and I was taking her on Saturdays.

The dialysis center can be a depressive place

as you see people

whose lives are filled with suffering.

My mom did not like dialysis as there

were unpleasant side effects and 3 to 4 hours,

 3 days a week taken out of your life

so that you could live another day.

It is strange to think that I enjoyed

taking my mother each Saturday.

When she went home to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 19, 2009,

I couldn’t have been more grateful that I got to

take my mother for her treatment the day before.

We never know how valuable the time we spent

doing something for others will become to us.

Saturday was the nicest day we have had since September;

it reached 74 degrees and the sun was shining.

After Sandy and I took my mother home from dialysis,

we took a drive along the Maumee River.

Along the way, we talked about our lives

and how both of us were shy and

loners when we were young;

and that the lives we have lived

are nothing like our thoughts as kids.

We consider our lives not to be our own.

We made a decision at the beginning

of our relationship to die to ourselves.

As Sandy and I thought about how different

our lives would have been if we would

have tried to live out our desires,

we realized that we are very blessed!

Taking up our cross has been more rewarding

than all the things we laid down

in order to pick up that cross.

 

Taking the time to do the things God has laid on our hearts

will cause us to live a life of no regrets.

I want to give a special thanks to my sister, Carole,

for laying down her life for our mom.

Also, to my brothers, Dan & Mike,

although they could not be with mom

like they would have desired, they

faithfully called her to express their love.

Just this past Saturday,

I asked mom if she had heard from her sons

and she said, Yes, just recently.

I am blessed to be part of

such a wonderful family. 

Scripture Reading

Luke 9:23-27 NIV

23 Then he said to them all:

"If anyone would come after me,

he must deny himself

and take up his cross daily

and follow me.

24 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it,

but whoever loses his life for me will save it.

25 What good is it for a man to gain the whole world,

and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words,

the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory

and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels.

27 I tell you the truth,

some who are standing here will not taste death

before they see the kingdom of God."