What happens when we fill our minds with beautiful things? Guest blogger Sharon Cargin writes about the relationships her grandchildren have forged with their uncle who lives with cerebral palsy. They are beautiful things indeed.

When We Fill Our Minds with Beautiful Things

After almost 30 years of caring for my son Tim who has cerebral palsy, it is still a battle to keep my mind on the beautiful things in his life. Tim is number 3 of 4 children. He now lives 30 miles away in a beautiful residential facility for adults with special needs. His caregivers do the very intense total care he requires. They also give him a life full of activities and friends. I didn’t see that coming in the thick of his care when he was young.

I didn’t think his life could ever be beautiful.

My husband and I bring Tim home on Sundays to join our 2 older sons, their wives, and their children for church. I never expected the beauty of the deep bond he has with his nieces and nephews. The 6 children who call him Uncle Tim range in age from 1 to 8. Each child is around 2 before they are not afraid of him and his oversized, custom-fitted wheelchair with the oxygen concentrator. To add to their discomfort and confusion, Tim’s speech is hard to understand. It takes great patience to wait for him to finish a sentence. The children learn to painstakingly listen and then ask him to repeat himself if necessary. Emily, the oldest, led the way in pursuing a relationship with Tim. Once she became old and brave enough, she began climbing into his lap. Today she can stand beside him for his hug and kiss, as is their ritual. Tim then grills her about what she did the previous week and what her plans are for the next one. 

Who knew such an authentic, gracious relationship would occur with these very young children?

A couple months ago Emily asked if she could give Tim his wafer and juice for communion. Carefully and diligently, she let us show her how to accomplish this not-so-easy task. Do you have a picture in your mind of this act of graciousness? 

Does it bring tears to your eyes like it does mine?

My husband and I live in a large Victorian home with 2 sets of double doors. Both doors must be open to accommodate Tim’s large wheelchair. The grandchildren have watched the process of unlocking one side of each set of doors, opening them fully, and then locking them in place with a foot lever. Several Sundays ago Emily organized the grandchildren to open the doors before Rich, Tim, and I arrived. In a masterpiece of teamwork, the children stood on chairs to reach the locks near the top of each set of doors. The children made a bothersome inconvenience, in the eyes of most adults, into a game, and they won.

What a blessing!

Scientific studies tell us negative thoughts make pathways in our brain and it takes hard work to change those pathways. A verse in the Bible tells us how to change those pathways by thinking continually on the beautiful things.

Summing it all up, friends,
I’d say you’ll do best by filling your minds and meditating
on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—
the best, not the worst;
the beautiful, not the ugly;
things to praise, not things to curse.
Phil 4:8 MSG

When my grandchildren see Tim their focus is on the best, not the worst, the beautiful not the ugly and that which is worthy of praise, not of cursing. Their minds are fixed on the beauty of Tim’s life and that sentiment is implanted in their hearts.

Do you struggle as I do to stay focused on the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise and not to curse?

Science and the Bible tell us we will do best by filling our minds with the beautiful things.  I invite you to join me in choosing to fill your mind with the best, which can only be done with the help of a God who has the power to transforms our minds.

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