Friday, December 31, 2010

Will You Still Love Me?


Will you still love me when I’m old and gray?

When my eyes are no longer doing myself or
 anyone else any good?

Will I still hold any value to you in the eyes of your youth?

Hoping your coming to see me will not seem like
having to pull another tooth.

When you do spend time by my side,
And find me with a glob of peanut butter on the skin
 of my ever-sagging chin...
Just remember, I’m praying right now that by then
 neither of us will fret,
And that you would graciously just wipe it off and forget...
But within your heart being grateful we both learned that being
vain was such a pain. 


© Sheri * November 2010
About the “Will you still love me?” poem...
Pride can hide in the deep crevices of aging skin, and so it is that our vision usually also betrays us in our aging years. I used to think that was just one of God’s mercies for vanity addicts like myself : ) Now seeing the effects of aging with my own eyes, of my own eyes, I now look at that differently...especially while trying to read labels.
Needless to say, I did not grow up unscathed in a world that puts so much value on the superficial aspect of a person, especially for women. In our youthful years it is very easy to look at life and think one has “forever” before getting “that old”; investing considerable time in pruning the outer person, not setting precedence on cultivating the inner person...deceived in planting superficial seeds of vanity through our own hidden or blatant selfish pride. The laws of time do not let us escape the reaping of our harvest though. Pride has deep roots that can obstruct God’s grace from opening us up from the inside; preventing us from the growth in becoming the person God has called us to be...keeping us from accepting His true love for ourselves and the ability to share His love with others.

Truly, God knows what’s best for us; to seek His face and not our own.

I am not suggesting that we do not take care of our bodies, because we should. Our bodies house the Spirit of our Lord, and we should worship Him by taking care of the gift of life He has given us, but we should not worship our bodies, for they are only temporary. We should do our part in taking care of ourselves to be able to do what God calls us to do, in His strength, right now in His kingdom.

My writing this poem has to do with the process of letting God’s grace change me; allowing Him to show me the need for continual growth in helping me to be who He has called me to be. And also, to be able to accept the things that cannot be changed...and relying on His wisdom for discernment. He has helped me let go of many a hindering things and ways...and I am coming around to seeing things more through His eyes, with His love.

Next to God, the love my sons may have for me is something I treasure, something I don’t ever want to lose. And that no matter how old I grow to be in this life, I pray they will never outgrow their love for me. And that they continue in their lives to grow and allow their Savior Jesus Christ to help them become the men our Heavenly Father has called them to be... to never give up or lose hope in God’s love, truly sharing that with those in their lives.