(If you follow me on Instagram, you read most of these words last night, but I wanted to share them here as well, and I’ve edited them a bit.)
God’s artwork.
A soothing and peaceful gift at the end of a day that was a lot harder emotionally than I expected.
I watched the dawn arrive yesterday as I sat with my youngest daughter who is struggling with an asthma flare-up from a recent cold, listening to the droning sound of the nebulizer that treats the inflammation in her lungs.
I prayed as the sun was rising for my granddaughter who was undergoing a bone marrow biopsy mid-morning.
Mid-day, I drove the familiar path to pick up my mom who is recuperating from hip replacement surgery.
Together we drove to the nursing home where we spent the late afternoon visiting my grandparents; watching my grandfather struggle as he recovers from pneumonia, his frail body, once so strong, failing him even while his mind is sharp as ever; loving my grandmother who is watching the love of her life, husband of 73 years, wish his journey would soon end.
My grandfather cried when I said goodbye to him. So hard.
Mom and I each had groceries to buy, and we stopped at the grocery store, splitting up to complete our shopping. As I moved up and down the aisles, I focused on my family waiting at home, gathering the best nourishment I could from the shelves. It was a busy time in the store, and I saw so many harried people, barely smiling, barely talking to one another. I wondered what was happening in each of their lives to cause such lack of joy, and I chatted with a few as I passed by, I love how a smile lights up a stranger’s face when a friendly word or two is offered.
My mom and I returned to her home and I quickly helped her unload her groceries, checking on her furnace and then heading back into the car, wishing to be home with my family, knowing I still had work to do when I arrived home.
As I drove home at the end of the day, God sent this painting and it stopped me in my tracks. I took the picture as a shadow of a reminder of the beauty of the moment, and what you see above is an unfiltered image. It was truly a stunning sunset.
I continued my drive home, and I saw so many people standing outside watching as the sun set. I loved how the many eyes were drawn upward by the beauty in the skies; looking heavenward at the end of a long day, drawing deep breaths and feeling the promise of rest.
God is good.