Cone of Shame

A couple of weeks ago our dog Cole got hit by a car. It all happened so fast. We came inside after putting him in the yard, and not 10 minutes later got the call that he had been hit. Luckily, he walked away from it. He had a little bleeding in his lungs, and ended up losing part of his tail. He is recovering well, but has been forced to wear "the cone of shame", and we just feel so bad for the guy.

The cone really weighs on Cole. It is bulky, and makes day to day life difficult. Eating, drinking, going to the bathroom and getting through doors is almost impossible without assistance. How frustrating this must be for him! Right now he just needs a lot of extra help, and I am happy to give it to him. My mother in-law has been a great help as well. Unfortunately, this help has come with its share of bumps and bruises.

Ever since he got his cone, all Cole wants is for me to look into his eyes and let him know that everything is going to be ok. He's pretty lovey in general, but with the cone, he doesn't want to leave my side, and I don't want to leave his. He wants to feel safe, comforted, and cared for.

In a recent yoga class, our teacher was talking about God holding our head in His hands, gently lifting our chin,  looking into our eyes and inviting us to give our cares to Him. Because of what I have been experiencing with Cole, this was so personal to me. I had the perfect mental picture. I love it when God uses the things I am dealing with in my day to day life to get my attention. I just wish I had the time to write more down.

Sometimes, we stray from the place God wants us to be, and life hits us unexpectedly. We may even end up hurt, or wearing our own "cone of shame". But that's when God gently scoops our head into his hands, and looks into our eyes, and gives His love to us. He doesn't want to see us suffer. He enters into our suffering in ways we may not even realize. If we can just let go of our pain, our fears, our guilt, and our shame and give them to God, we can rest knowing that he will take care of us, and just be held safely in His loving arms. 

Occasionally, that bulky cone of shame becomes so heavy that we become careless and end up hurting others with our actions and words. I know I have been guilty of this more times than I would like to admit. Often, our loved ones are blindsided because they don't even know what we are going through. (Our cone of shame is worn inward)

The truth is that sometimes our loved ones have been sent to be Jesus to us when we need Him the most. We often fear that if we allow others to be a part of our struggles, that they will look at us differently, or that they may no longer accept us. So instead, we bury our shame deeper inside. But when we allow them to enter into our suffering, we can be receivers and givers of God's grace. The truth is, our loved ones may have past experiences that they can share to help us grow. Or they might offer something like a meal, or another act of service that will free up some of our time and allow us to process what we are going through. (I had a friend do this for me recently when I was going through some things, and it really helped me a lot) Not only does this bless us, but the giver is blessed as well, and feels a new sense of purpose by being able to use his/her gifts and experiences in a positive and encouraging way.

Our loved ones are blessed when they are able to be the hands and feet of Jesus for us. I don't know how many times I have been in my darkest valley when someone reached out and brought God's love to me in an unexpected way. When Cole allows me to help him, his life becomes so much easier, and I feel better about the peace it gives him. The same is true when we accept help from others. Don't take the people God put in your life for granted. They were put there for a reason, and can show us Jesus' love in ways we may have never experienced before, and give us new hope for humanity.

As I was driving home from another much needed yoga class, I heard these words on the radio from the Christian song "Breathe", by Johnny Diaz

" Breathe, just breathe
Come and rest at my feet
And be, just be
Chaos calls but all you really need
Is to just breathe"

When chaos comes a knocking, and we get hit by life unexpectedly, all God asks, is that we come and find our rest in Him, and do just as this song says. "Breathe, just breathe", and "be, just be". True rest can only be found in Him.

When Cole was finally able to have his bulky cone removed, I am sure he felt like he could finally breathe again. The unexpected trauma Cole endured may have left Cole changed, but through it he grew in knowledge and confidence. To this day, I hope Cole understands a little better that the boundaries we set for him are for his protection, and that he can rest feeling safe and loved, inside the fence.

"But You, O LORD, are a shield about me, My glory, and the One who lifts my head."
Psalm 3:3 NASB

"He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young." Isaiah 40:11 NKJV

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV

All of these verses remind me of the grace and comfort God has to offer me, and freely gives me, even when I go astray, or am carrying a difficult burden. God's nature is loving and caring, and he wants to give that love to each and every one of His children. I am ever so grateful to be His child, and to receive the love He gives me every day. I can feel safe because I know that I am held in his loving arms.