making sacrifices

When I first started brainstorming "the beauty of sacrifices" for this Carnival of Beauty, I instantly pictured my grandparents, both paternal and maternal. 

I imagine my PawPaw as a young boy taking care of his baby sister--combing her hair and dressing her.  I picture him doing without so many times thoughout the years so that others may have.

I can see with my mind's eye my NeeNee as a young newlywed living alone as her new husband served our country overseas.  I see her crocheting blankets, using her time and talents so that others can be warm.

I see my Grandpa as a boy during the Depression.  I see him and my PawPaw both as young men dressed in their uniforms, ready to serve our country and lay down their lives.

I envision my Grandmother as a young girl picking cotton, giving up her dream of going to college, so that her family's needs are met.  I think of her working late at night at her sewing machine so that her five children will all have clothes to wear. 

I can see all of them giving of their time, talents, and money to the things they care about and to their churches.  I see them volunteering . . . teaching Sunday School in the preschool department, teaching English to new immigrants, working in the soup kitchen, delivering food to shut-ins.

I see four people I want to be just like.  I see four people I admire so much words fail to convey my true admiration.

What my generation and those that follow mine lack as a whole is an understanding of the beauty of sacrifice.  However, it is something our grandparents fully understand and embraced.  For that I am grateful.

Wasn't it Jim Elliot who said, "he is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose"? 

Father, please help me to not be a fool.  Help me to freely give what I can't keep anyway so that I may fully gain that which I can't lose.  Thank you ever so much for giving me godly grandparents who seek you and were willing to make and still do make sacrifices for their country and for their families.  Help me to truly understand the beauty of sacrifice.

This post was submitted to the Carnival of Beauty sponsored by following an unknown path.  This week the theme is The Beauty of Sacrifice and is hosted by Ann at Holy Experience.   Join us next week for The Beauty of Esther. 

In September of last year, we also visited this same topic.  At that time, I wrote about being a living sacrifice.  If you'd like to see what others wrote about please visit Renee.