Works for Me Wednesday: Hundred Year Glasses
Over the last month I've been experiencing health problems, with all the related questions and anxiety that so often surround health scares. The Big Ugly C Word has been mentioned, and it's frightening. (We don't have a diagnosis yet, so my fears are probably unfounded. But, you know. Pooh-poohing my fears doesn't make them go away.)
When I am confronted by a fear, unmet expectations or sheer frustration, it helps to put on my Hundred Year Glasses. Wait a minute, Gwen, I say to myself in an annoyingly reasonable tone. Put on your Hundred Year Glasses. Will this matter in a hundred years? One hundred years from now, it won't matter that our Everlasting Homestudy took six ridiculously long months to complete. One hundred years from now, it won't matter that my house often resembles a bad train wreck, and that I haven't even thought about Christmas cards yet. And one hundred years from now, this cancer scare will be long forgotten, and will have no significance at all.
What will matter in a hundred years? At that time, this body of mine will be dust, and I (the essence of me) will be with God, praising Him eternally. I think that, really and truly, all that really matters is that God is glorified in my life. As long as He's exalted and lifted up, the little frustrations and fears in my life are irrelevant. These things will pass away and be forgotten. As long as God is glorified in me, it won't matter if I have cancer. I'm going to let my Hundred Year Glasses help me focus on worshipping the Lord with my actions and my thoughts, and I'll let tomorrow worry about itself.
You will guide me with Your counsel,
And afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
(Ps. 73:24-26)
And afterward receive me to glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
(Ps. 73:24-26)
13 Fellow Bletherers:
Okay this post made me bawl...I'm still bawling...I don't do well with putting things into perspective with "hundred year glasses." I should really try this sometime.
I've been thinking of you, and praying for you. Wish I could do something...honestly, like I said, let me know.(I can scrub a mean toilet...not so good at dusting,but if that's what you want me to do, I'll even buy a new duster!)
Just remember you are loved by many,but most of all by God.
I'm doing a meal for you on Sunday,but is there any preferences??
Love you, you wonderful beautiful woman!!
Enjoy your day, hope you're not too stressed or not feeling too bad.
Love
Jenny
Wish you were closer and I could make you a dinner too. (be glad you are not as I am not known for my cooking skills...) Anyhow, I will pray because having had a mom who has had both Ovarian and breast cancers and a father with a rare malignant melanoma in his left eye I live in world of c scares. Everything to me is the big c and it is frightening despite my faith. I hope dear Gwen that all will come back clear, you will be feeling better soon and that by the new year this will all be a bad memory. Do like the 100 year glasses idea though.
Gwen....
How beautiful and poignant this post was. Thank you.
I pray that you are well and living a life that gives all glory to Christ for at least 100 years.
My dear friend is in the fight of her life for her sweet college age son, John...right this very moment in Indianapolis. Last night as we sat ministering to them....over 100 college students came to his bedside at Riley.
Quite a testimony to the life he has lived. Precious!
You are so right about what will and will not matter in 100 years.
For John.....it won't be anything he fretted over just a few short months ago.
Go meet him.....and be inspired.
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/johnromine
Praying for you dear sister.
I bawled as well...awsome post Gwen!
Praying for you!!
I can do a meal one night too! Do you need some? Let me know!!!!
i like to think that every day is an adventure God has for me! we have in life difficulties and sorrows and lately i've been comparing it to mountain climbing... or race running... or whatever sport challenges our endurance... it comes down to not the tall mountain or the 24kms, it comes down to *this one step, Lord*, finding our resources within us (i mean HIM IN US!) and reaching for that *yet another rock, Lord!* because in HIM there is endurance to be found....
.... and our attitude and example as we forge through the struggles... these things *will* have an echo effect in one-hundred years!!!... on family and friends who witness the Spirit of tenacity and strength - peace, patience and longsuffering - at work in you, and thus desire to pattern these things in their own lives.... wow!
now i - or you - have not *chosen* the nature of our challenge the same as choosing a sport... but knowing that it is a challenge HE has personally hand picked for us, at this very time in our lives, and is intended to *prosper us* and NOT to harm us(wow!!!) makes it even more worth the faith-stretching-challenge of the *ADVENTURE* ahead!
forge ahead, sister! i am rootin' for ya!
What a wonderful writer you are. Glad I found you through WFMW.
Thank you, all, for your encouraging words!
Wow! I can't even begin to tell you how much this post ministered to me!
I am often crippled with the fear of the what if's & maybe's. When I say crippled, i literally mean it. I desperately want to see my life on God's timeline, yet my mind kicks into overdrive & I find myself overwhelmed and fearful.
Thank you for sharing! You have encouraged me to put my life in His hands, again and again!
Love you & praying for you!
Hm. I saw "WFM Wednesday" and almost skipped it. Since, you know, me and housekeeping are oil and water.
Good post.
And I'd totally take these people up on the meals, dude. That's what friends are for and who cares if it turns out to be nothing? You shouldn't have to have a positive biopsy to get a casserole.
Word verification: badleebo. I think this whole cancer thing is some seriously bad leebo, man.
Shan I just want to squeeze your cute little cheeks.
Oh no, Gwen... I have no words... there ARE no words. But God hears my incoherent mumblings on your behalf.
Gwen,
I read this post Thursday and didn't comment. I didn't know exactly what I wanted to say.
I had a cancer scare last Christmas. It's horrid!
I haven't been able to get you off of my mind. I'm praying for a clean bill of health, grace, and a peace that surpasses all understanding.
If I lived by you, I would fix you a yummy meal and delicious desert.
Hugs!
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