A Beautiful Life

One evening in Dumay, as we stood out on the porch of the guest house and sang hymns with several of the local young men, we sang the song “A Beautiful Life.”  It touched me that night, and I've been thinking about the song ever since.  So much so, that I've decided to name our blog after it.  Seems like everyone’s creative with those sorts of things, so I’ll join the club…

I wanted something that would be applicable to our life in general, since I started this blog before we came to Haiti, and, maybe I’ll still have it afterwards. 

When David got his Paramedic license and started working 24 hour shifts, I made him a quilt to take with him to use at night.  And in the center, I had one of these verses embroidered.  “I’ll help someone in time of need, and journey on with rapid speed; I’ll help the sick and poor and weak, and words of kindness to them speak.”  I thought it was really fitting for what he would be doing every day at work. 

I also feel like it fits with what we’re called to do here at in Haiti too.  When we were called here, one of the verses God showed me is “How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!"  In addition to keeping the outside of the Hospital looking nice, the inside working smoothly, the patients taken care of physically, we are called here to love everyone, help where we can, and show them God’s love.

And wherever we are in life….I think this fits.  Not just in Haiti, not just on the ambulance.  Wherever we are, God wants us to help lift another person’s load.

And then I think, what if my life ISN’T beautiful?  Yeah, right now from a human perspective it’s beautiful.  God has blessed me with a great marriage, two healthy kids, a house to live in, a supportive church.  I have eyesight so I can work.  I am able to read.  I live free from being persecuted for being a believer in Christ.  I have food to eat every day, and when I wash my dishes, hot water (usually J) freely flows out of my faucet.  So many things that would be unimaginable to so many people in this world.  But does this make my life beautiful?  If I lost all this, would my life not be beautiful?

Over the years, David and I have talked about this, asking each other if we are enjoying our day, our stage in life.  Now, for instance, not every day is perfect (I have a 2 ½ year old boy who has a stronger will than his mother, and who doesn't want to sleep at night, for instance J), but we are enjoying living in Haiti, and we mostly like our two-little-kids stage.  But then we say, the point is not if we're "having a good time" or to have the easiest smoothest road possible.  God is what matters.  Doing what He has called us to do is what matters.  The Bible says it better... So likewise ye, when ye have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants:  we have done that which was our duty to do.  Luke 17:10

And then I read the song again.  Nowhere does it talk about healthy kids, or freedom, or food or hot water.  It talks about doing good to others because that’s what God wants us to do.  It is a way to honor and worship Him and bring those glad tidings!  That is what will make our life beautiful.  No matter what.  Even the person who wrote this hymn, William Golden, didn't have such a great life as we would think of it.  If you believe what you find on the internet J what little info there is says that his only child died young, and he himself died in a traffic accident.  He wrote this song when he was serving an eight year prison sentence.  How’s that for beautiful? But in spite of that, this is what he wrote….

Each day I'll do a golden deed
By helping those who are in need;
My life on earth is but a span,
And so I'll do the best I can.

To be a child of God each day,
My light must shine along the way;
I'll sing His praise while ages roll,
And strive to help some troubled soul.

The only life that will endure,
Is one that's kind and good and pure;
And so for God I'll take my stand,
Each day I'll lend a helping hand.

I'll help someone in time of need,
And journey on with rapid speed;
I'll help the sick and poor and weak,
And words of kindness to them speak.

While going down life's weary road,
I'll try to lift some trav'ler's load;
I'll try to turn the night to day,
Make flowers bloom along the way.

Refrain:
Life's evening sun is sinking low,
A few more days, and I must go
To meet the deeds that I have done,
Where there will be no setting sun.