Beauty for Ashes

On the heels of Valentine's Day and since we touched on the subject in that post, I thought it would be the perfect time to explore the topic of heartbreak a little more.  At this point in my life I am working three jobs and spending about 50  hours a week at them, plus taking classes so that I can move into a different career path.  It sounds like a lot and sometimes it feels like a lot, but it's alright because I have one day a week when I work from home and I still have my weekends, so I'm managing the extra hours pretty well. 

Since my schedule has filled up so suddenly I have had to make a point to workout on my work at home day and each of the weekend days to keep my routine in the healthy range on 3-5 days per week.  Working out helps me manage my stress and sleep well, so for the past 20 years or so, I have made it a priority to exercise consistently, especially when I am feeling stressed and boy do I need it now.  It was on my work at home morning, when I'm not in such a rush to be out the door, that I put in one of the dozen or so Jillian Michaels dvds that I own and prepared myself for a workout.  BRRRRZZZZT!  the DVD player spit the disc back out.  I repeated this several times with different discs and after turning the player off and then on again, but the sad fact is that after 12 years of loyal service, Stevie the DVD player has given up the ghost and been laid to rest.  

Since this was a workout day, I was determined to get in some kind of structured workout and turned to YouTube to see if Jill has anything similar out there.  Two ten minute workouts later, while I was drinking water and catching my breath, I decided to see what else Jillian has on her channel when I came across an interview with Dr. Florence Williams called How to Fix a Broken Heart.  

Dr. Williams found herself suddenly single after 32 years of what she thought was a happy healthy relationship and as a scientist, she began studying her physical response to her situation and searching for scientific reasons for her grief and ways to heal.   At about 24 minutes into the interview, Dr. Williams said something that struck me.  She said that some people never recover from heart break, but among those who were resilient, people who could find beauty in the world around them and experience awe on a regular basis were most likely to recover.  

I immediately thought of Isaiah 61:3  “And provide for those who grieve in Zion – to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes...

Finding beauty in the world around you allows you to look outside your own grief and problems and see that in spite of everything, there is still good and all is not lost.  Even if you have not experienced grief or trauma, finding beauty can pull you out of your own stress and troubles just as well.  

So, if you have been feeling sad or lost or stressed, take a moment to think about the things you enjoy.  What inspires awe in you?  Is it a sunrise across the mountains or the beach?  Go for a hike, or take a little trip to the beach with the sole purpose of taking in and appreciating your surroundings. Is it intricate paintings or incredible sculptures?  Go to a museum and spend time just studying and admiring these creations and when you do, take some time to remember that there is a great creator of all things who is holding you in his hands even through your grief and sorrows and He wants to give you beauty for ashes.