Doubling Up
“Don’t worry, Handsome.
I’m doubling up.”
The words
came flowing
out of my mouth today
as natural as they had
so many years before.
Standing at my
bedroom window,
looking out at the
small body of water
a stones throw away,
I spotted a frequent visitor
to the water –
a blue heron.
Knowing my husband,
who passed away eight years ago,
would love to be here
seeing him, too,
is what brought the natural response.
Years ago,
when my father’s health
was failing,
and just two short years
after we married,
God led me to a
teaching position
near my parents.
My calling –
both to this school
and to my precious father –
left over 400 miles between
my husband and me.
The time apart was hard,
especially in the beginning.
During evening phone calls
I would share highlights
from my day –
a sunrise,
a funny conversation,
a playground moment, etc.
“Oh, Beautiful,
I wish I could have seen it,
but since I’m not there,
you are going to have to
double up.
Look and see
for the both of us.”
Doubling up –
looking out at the world
not just for me,
but also with
my man’s eyes in mind.
Seeing what he would see,
noticing what he would notice,
spotting what he would spot,
if he was here to
see it,
notice it,
spot it.
What started to become
my new vision of life
over twenty years ago,
still has me seeing
beyond what I alone
would have normally seen
to seeing all there
truly is to see –
like the blue heron,
barely visible
through thick tree branches.
ABUNDANCE
This is the word
God spoke to my heart
as my “word for the year”
as we prepared to enter 2024.
And yet,
it’s so clear to me now,
God had begun this work
of teaching me about
ABUNDANCE
years ago.
Since my man
had a heart
that was
chasing hard after his God,
when I started
doubling up
and seeing life
with his eyes in mind,
I didn’t just start
spotting wildlife.
The Holy Spirit –
who was just beginning
to begin a work in me –
began to truly
open my eyes.
I began to see
not only with my
man’s eyes in mind,
but also with my
Heavenly Father’s eyes
in mind.
(It seems the two
were very much
the same.)
I began to see
the faces of the homeless,
the needs of the elderly,
the yearnings of the lonely,
the hurts of the chronically ill,
the insecurities of the children,
the hearts of everyone, everywhere.
Come to find out,
doubling up
not only makes
you see “double”,
it also brings
a kind of
double joy.
An ABUNDANCE of joy.
Not only does it help you
feel close to the one
you are thinking of and
are doubling up for –
but it also has an amazing way
of getting your eyes
off of yourself,
off of your problems,
off of your situations and circumstances
and onto others.
It draws you
closer and closer
to the window
of a heart in need.
It enables you to
see that which
can easily be hidden,
if not for the eyes of God
bringing it into view.
It propels you
beyond you
to where God
longs to call you to.
Providing a meal.
Running an errand.
Offering a listening ear.
Sharing words of encouragement or counsel.
Holding a hand.
Wiping a tear.
Meeting a need.
When we spot the need
and then choose
to run to it,
we find abundant life.
How beautiful it is
that in my
not wanting my husband
to miss
what I was seeing,
my God began
teaching me
not to miss
what He
wanted me
to see.
Blessed are those
who have eyes to see.
“Oh, my sweet daughter –
I have called you
to be My hands
and My feet.
How I long to
work in you
and through you,
but first –
first, sweet girl,
through My Spirit,
you are going to have to
double up.
Look and see
for the both of us.“
Oh precious Lord,
give us eyes to see.
~Stacy
This post is the eighth post in the ABUNDANCE series.
The first post is “Abundance”, followed by “FULLY LOVED”, “In a New Light”, “Less is More”, “Choose Life”, “Run to The Father” and “Keep Looking”
