Contentment*

I shall be content
through doctor’s appointments, blood tests, MRI’s, EKG’s and physical examinations;
through medications, ultrasounds, wellness shots, physical therapy, and neck and back adjustments;
through electric stimulation, deep massage, posture pro, and trigger point injections.

I shall be content
through no sleep to restless sleep, dropping things, forgetfulness, and lightheadedness;
through muscle spasms, daily headaches, ongoing stomach issues, and lack of energy;
through allergic reactions, cervical vertigo, sensitive hearing, and even silent illnesses.

I have slowly learned to be content
through having an income to low income and being on a lowered income of SSA Disability;
through ongoing medical-life adjustments, benefits taken away, and finances becoming even tighter;
through two to five doctor’s appointments a week to learning to become a patient - patient.

I am learning to be content
through God who is my ultimate Father, my companion, my guide, and my counselor;
through God who is faithful, compassionate, kind, omnipotent, and omniscient;
through God who understands, is lovable, and is one who is always here with me.

I am learning to be content
through God’s closeness, companionship, ultimate strength, His amazing grace and mercy;
through God’s blessings, patience, unconditional love and His total understanding of me;
through God’s beautiful presence, awesome friendship, and His ultimate being.

I can not live without God's help

God's Beautiful Masterpiece*

I have one of my grandmother’s paintings handed down to me from my mother. I have had it for many years and recently noticed a yellow film coating the painting. A friend of mine told me how to restore the painting by using cotton balls, dish soap and water.

As I gently cleaned the delicate picture, I began to see beautiful bright colors come from the flowers that surrounded the bird. The vibrant colors of pink, yellow, blue, and green popped out as though I had just painted it myself. As the first layer of yellow film began to disappear, I noticed the strokes of the paintbrush embedded in the paint. I traced them with my finger and wondered what she was thinking and how was her life at the moment she painted this beautiful picture. What was on her mind the moment she stroked the brush against the canvas?

The original painting was so much more vibrant when the yellow coating was cleaned up. I had to let it dry completely before I am able to take the 2nd layer of the yellow film off. I guess you can say that it’s a process to clean an old and delicate picture.

The process of cleaning the picture reminds me of how God is with us. Every one of us is His original paintings. He brushed each stroke of our body and our lives; we are in the palm of His hands.

We were born into sin and this sin has put an ugly film over us which makes it hard to see God’s original work. When we acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, He completely cleans off the yellow film of sin from us and we begin to see God’s masterpiece.

Even when we are Christians, sin sometimes builds up. We have to continually go to Jesus Christ for him to cleanse us and make us more beautiful, God's beautiful masterpiece.