The Place of Help - Recharging and Reflecting

George Bernard Shaw wrote: ‘Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I get to hold for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before turning it over to future generations.’

Our lives have a ripple effect and as I swam in the Caribbean sea this past week I found myself pausing to ponder many things at this mid-point in my life.

Being on vacation at a very large beautiful resort and traveling with a group of 20 people allows plenty of time for interaction with others.  I also chose to spend a lot of time reflecting while I was relaxing and recharging.  


My nephew's wedding brought his family and friends to a gorgeous resort.  It was a time to share memories about him and his new wife.  From my perspective he was the first grandchild in our family and the day he was born was the one and only time I ever got sent home from work; I was too distracted to focus on work.

He was the first infant I held, the first diapers I changed and definitely the first one to spit up on me (too many times to count)!  I stood as his God parent when he was baptized and spent a lot of weekends with him during the first few years of his life.  He came to me at the age of 8 and asked me to 'teach him how to program a computer.

Our mutual interest in computers has kept us connected over the years to the point that we now work together full time.  I remember when he made his first website....he was so very proud and probably about 12...we won't discuss the content!  I used to be his his tech support as he was learning how to build computers and now he is mine.

Life is funny like that, this vacation was compliments of my children and for the first time in over 25 years I feel well rested!  The forced time away could not have come at a better time.  Recharging my batteries for the next chapter of my life and causing me to reflect on the incredible journey thus far was wonderful.  

I was asking myself questions like:

"Am I getting nobler, better, more helpful, more humble, as I get older? Am I exhibiting the life that men take knowledge of as having been with Jesus, or am I getting more self-assertive, more deliberately determined to have my own way? It is a great thing to tell yourself the truth." The Place of Help

Watching so many people at the resort interact; families, singles, young and older, staff, customers and locals....How do people see me was my question?  Each interaction could be our last, what do we want to be remembered for and how can we make a difference in brief encounters.  I became a great aunt for the first time on this trip and saw an opportunity to get to know my new niece and nephew.

I got a little overwhelmed at one point realizing that life is so very full and our family is obviously going to continue to get larger so how do I make the most of each moment. How can I best help each new person that I meet.  I was constantly in amazement of the beauty surrounding me and how creative God is.  My relational questions drove me to my knees as I searched God for answers.

Awe is the condition of a man’s spirit realizing Who God is and what He has done for him personally. Our Lord emphasizes the attitude of a child; no attitude can express such solemn awe and familiarity as that of a child.  Not Knowing Whither, 882 L

My place of help...is in reflecting on what God has done for me and my family, and as I remain childlike in my faith He will provide me the opportunities to love on new people and the grace to be in relationship with an ever growing family.  
I am blessed and thankful and wanted to share a devotional that I read while I was away about people and relationships.  

“But we all…are changed…by the Spirit of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 KJV 
Prayer, Not Pressure, Changes People

Jesus asked the question, ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?’ (Matthew 7:3 NIV). Expecting more out of people than they’re able to give will hurt your relationships, not help them. People need the freedom to be who they are. That doesn’t mean they don’t need or want to change. But nobody appreciates being given the message, even subtly, that they must change in order to be loved and accepted. We’re more likely to change for those who are willing to accept us with our shortcomings, than for those who demand we live by their rules. One thing is certain: God won’t change the people we’re trying to change until we adopt a ‘hands off’ policy. We must get out of His way and let Him work! Even when we think we’re hiding our disapproval, people still feel it. It’s in our voice and body language. Prayer is the greatest agent for change, not pressure. If we truly love people we’ll pray for them and allow God to work on them His way, on His schedule, and for His glory. Many of those who irritate us are simply being themselves; their personality just doesn’t mesh with ours. Sometimes we want them to change when we need to change. Often the things we require in other people are already available for us to enjoy, if we’ll just stop judging them. For change to be lasting, it must come from the inside out. And only the Spirit of God can bring that kind of change.