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I have two columns on the caregiving page of my life marked "profit" and "loss."

Let's talk first about the "loss" column. This is year eight of caring for my mom! Wow! It hasn't always been 24/7, as it is now, but I've watched mom slowly decline, losing more of her ablitites, as my responsiblities steadily increase. Even while watching her loss, I personally have felt loss. The caregiving perspective is feeling like you are sitting still while the world is zooming on around you, and you can't have part in it. It is a feeling of loss. Loss of life as you knew it. Loss of friendships, loss of ministries, loss of personal time, loss, loss, loss. It looks pretty depressing at first glance.

Ah, but then there is the "profit" column. I guess it has just one word in it..."Christ".There really are so many profitable things in caregiving, but the greatest profit is the surpassing value of knowing Christ. I am learning of Him in ways I would not otherwise! He is very near. I hope to share some of those personal stories in my blogging at some time. This precious value is beyond words! It makes the loss column not matter. In fact it gives me true perspective on that loss column...The Christian does not lose anything valuable by being in the center of God's will. We profit!

I'm with Paul, "Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ..."
Philippians 3:7, 8

As I tuck mumsy in bed every night, I read her a hymn. It wasn't a coincidence that tonight's hymn was titled: "Nothing but Christ. "The second verse says,

Everything loss for Him below,
Taking the cross where'er we go;
Showing to all, where once He trod,
Nothing but Christ - the Christ of God.

I love the third verse:

Nothing save Him, in all our ways,
Giving the theme for ceaseless praise;
Our whole resource along the road,
Nothing but Christ - the Christ of God.

Look at my two columns. That loss column has lots of stuff in it.
It's all rubbish because of the profit margin! Christ!