Take a minute and stop what you're doing. Stop worrying about anything, stop busying yourself..and try to relax. Now do one thing...
Breathe.
Take a deep breath.
Maybe do it again. Take a moment to focus on the oxygen going into your lungs... to help you...Live.
Breathing. It's actually something most of us take for granted. I don't think my sister takes it for granted as much as I do honestly. Anybody who struggles with asthma or any other breathing problem knows how great it is to get a FULL breath in. Sometimes the rest of us just go about doing our daily routine, rushing around, filling our day with "plans" and figuring out where and what to do next. We have so much we NEED to do...or so, we think.
But sometimes, that wears us out. We become "out of breath." It's like God is screaming to our bodies... "Slooooow down. Breathe with Me." When the Bible says that He is the "Breath of Life"...its like saying that God is our oxygen. Without the OXYGEN...we die. Without God...we die. Every breath has great value...because to live...is to breathe...and on this earth...we only get so many breaths...and then, we stop breathing. It's not really morbid though...its kind of beautiful. We all will inevitably die to this earth, and simply inhale our last and final breath...just right before we enter the place of PEACE and REST. And it's the breath that seems to have the final say right before we go.
So the reason I'm so focused on breathing today is because yesterday, I watched my Nana sleep. She was sleeping and the only other thing she was doing...was breathing. I watched my Nana BREATHE yesterday for a good amount of time. It really hit me. Somehow watching her breathe just made me see this face of peace that I haven't honestly seen on her in awhile...due to the sad effects of Alzheimer's disease. But, nevertheless, she looked beautiful. It was like I could see through her, breath by breath, and just remember how great her soul really is.
Since yesterday, I can't stop seeing that memory of her just inhaling, though not the way I prefer it...but even with the oxygen machine, she was still TAKING the breaths.
She lived this amazing life of Faith, Hope, and most of all...Love. She was a woman who reminded me of Jesus in everything I can remember about her. Even WITH the disease, her loving inner spirit breathed the greatness of who she is and was. I only have memories of how great she was to me...and everyone she was around. Thank you God for her example.
So as she takes her final breaths...(and yeah, its very hard still to think about)...I hope and pray she is continually at Peace as she sleeps. And then I hope and pray that WE remember that one day we will ALL get to the same point as she is...its just up to us to VALUE every single breath we take...and live our lives out with:
Faith...in our God who walks with us every step of the way...
Hope...that this earth life can give us the BEGINNING of the eternal life we have with our awesome God...
and simply, LOVE. (1 Corinthians 13) Because Love never fails.
So, Breathe it in. Live it out. And have Faith, Hope, and Love...
Then you will get this greater sense...of a True Peace....that passes ALL understanding.
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