As I drove my mother-in-law to a doctor’s appointment, my mind raced with things I needed to do as soon as I was done. We arrived at the appointment and were given more than seven pages of papers to fill out. As we got seated I took the clipboard and proceeded to ask my mother-in-law the questions so that I could fill out her paperwork. As she began to answer, my mind slowed as I stared into her eyes watching her recount the years of surgeries, struggles and progression of her life to be penned on paper. I looked at the beautiful wrinkles that covered her face knowing that each one told a story that most would likely never hear.
I suddenly forgot about all the things that awaited me on my to-do list and soaked in every moment. I was honored to help her…listen to her and breathe in just a little of the abundant wisdom she was speaking. She has loved one man, who is now in heaven, and raised four amazing kids, the baby is my favorite😊. She has grandkids and great-grandkids, generations beneath her. Now, her strength is failing and her physical body is feeble. Her scars are beautiful and the stories behind them even more so. Years of trials, struggles, highs and lows all wrapped up in a five foot petite frame.
We live each day from one to the next rarely taking time to rest in each moment and this day my perspective changed. We often concern ourselves with things we wish we could change…our physical appearance, our financial state, our career, etc. But none of that seemed important as I listened to her recount her years. She associated every struggle with a defining moment of joy or valuable lesson in her life. Every season built on the next producing great fruit.
Our battles…those struggles that seem insurmountable come in every season of life. How we handle them, what we take away from them and who joins us on our journey through them is what really matters. I am thankful for my family and friends who are on my journey with me and I hope you are as well. Those that God places in our life are there by divine design. Whatever happens in life isn’t worth sacrificing those relationships. God designed us to do life together.
Today I encourage you to slow down, rest in each moment and enjoy those God has placed in your life. Lean on those you love and those that love you to help you through the struggles. When the battle is done and the scars appear the memories, lessons learned and the relationships strengthened along the way will far outweigh the trial itself. Scars represent strength and the beautiful process of growing into the person God created you to be.
Erin L.A. Jones 