Siblings!

I was between two boys.  My older brother was four years older and the other was two years younger.  The older acted like I was not there and the younger, I tried to bully.  It is funny remembering my relationships with them.  When we grew up, we lived many miles apart and were not able to become acquainted with each other as adults.   The memories that are most clear are those of our youth and the challenges we faced growing up.

Both of my brothers died before they reached the age of 50.  When my mother needed care, I was the only one left to care for her.  I remember how difficult it was to make decisions for her on my own.  It would have been so much easier if I had one or both of them to help.

If you are fortunate enough to have siblings, don't allow anything to come between you.  Cherish each other and make the most of every opportunity to share your lives.  If you have a parent who will need your care, then strive to be on the same page and cooperate in the journey.

We need each other!  Even when someone is irritating us and we are caught in the grip of  that brother...we need each other!

The Eyes Have It...

Look closely at the "eyes" in this picture. 

There are many things that take our focus away from the important things.  They will pull us away from the immediate activity and cause us to redirect our gaze to TV or computer or movement to the right...or left...

Are you struggling with staying in tune with the immediate issues?  Are you unable to read and retain information?  Are you so exhausted that you are running on fumes with no way to refuel?  It happens.  I found that fatigue was the bottom line and rendered me unable to focus.

How do you find help?  Go to your loved ones doctor.  Google caregiver on the internet.  Check with your church.  Call a friend.  The school district often has contact information.  There are neighborhood organizations.  If you do not have the resources, get a family member or friend to help in the search.

Today, I pray that you will find what you need to rebuild your strength.  I pray that God will send you friends and associates who can meet your needs.  I pray that your loved one will have a really good day. 

In Jeremiah 29:11 (which I quote often) God tells us that He has a plan.  Seek it and you will find strength for your life.

It Takes Practice....

 

I know the picture is dark, but I wanted to use it to demonstrate the idea that we CAN do what seems impossible.  We CAN achieve goals if we put our minds to it.  We CAN see the light at the end of the tunnel when the tunnel is long and very black.

I want to encourage you today to take a deep breath and try again.  Look at the options and move forward.  Find a friend to stand along side you as you tackle the splits or cancer or insurance or...

In Philippians 4:13 it says that "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength."  I have found that friend in Christ and He has always taken me through the rough places.

(I can't do the splits, but I have mastered some difficult times and survived!)

Assessment of the situation

 

Contemplation...Assessment...

 

Where are we?

What are the issues that need attention?

Am I in the loop?  Is everyone else in the same loop?

Am I in denial regarding a certain issue?

What are my choices?

 

Have you been there?  Are you afraid to take stock because once you have, the bottom will fall out of your resolve and you will collapse?  Are you afraid of what you will find out?

 

Fear of the unknown will keep you awake.  Resolve to find the answers to your challenge once you have defined it.  There are websites that you can access through Google.  If you have a computer, look them up.  One word is all you need to direct you to answers.

 

"When you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed."  God's Decree  Jeremiah 29:13 The Message

 

Find Him...Find your answers.

 

The Wailing Wall Site - Jerusalem

Some days I am just not myself...

Some days I found myself putting on an act.  I would prepare a face, costume, and routine that threw off friends and family.  Or so I thought.

In reality, those who love us can usually tell when we are in a difficult place.  Friends who know us will be able to detect that false front and help us in the struggle of the moment.  Instead of going to all the trouble of trying to disguise your pain, share it with a Pastor, friend, family member who will show empathy and love.

God loves us and even if no one else can tell, He can.  His love will wrap us in peace and guide us to the answer we need.  I love the 23rd Psalm because David spoke of the valleys we find ourselves walking through.  He spoke of God's provision for us.  He wrote of the place of safety beside still waters.  That is in direct contrast to the overwhelming floods we often experience.

Today I pray that you will be able to lie down in peace and sleep.  I pray that you will find exactly what you need to make this day good for yourself and the loved one you are caring for!

Contemplation....

Some days I find myself contemplating the future.  At this time, mine is pretty simple and uncomplicated. It hasn't always been that way.  My caregiving days were anything but!  I was caught in schedules, unanswered questions, new challenges... they filled every day. 

Sitting beside the Gulf of Mexico is one of  the pleasures of my life.   Kamri was taking advantage of the beach at Corpus Christi a few years ago and her expression caught what I wanted to convey today.

If you are in the center of a difficult life experience, I encourage you to find a few minutes and sit down, take stock and contemplate. You will be surprised at how 5 minutes of concentrated thought will help you see more clearly the direction you need to pursue. 

Psalms 78:7 in the New Living Translation states: "So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands." 

Revisit your hope.  Ask God for His presence in your struggle today and then look for Him as He guides your steps and makes the rough places smooth.

The Importance of Having a Cheerleader...

 

Everyone needs a cheerleader!

 

Everyone needs someone to stand on the sidelines and urge them forward.

There are so many people who feel like they are in their situation and all alone.  They do not have anyone they feel who understands and cares about the issues.

 

Many of us realize that our parents are the ones who cheered, urged, cajoled, threatened and loved us into becoming an adult.  It was my mother who obeyed God's voice and changed my college experience.  I was set to go to school in Springfield, MO.  God urged my mother to take me to Houston, TX to a small denominational college.  Being there set the tone and direction of my life.

 

I knew I was in the adult world when my mother came to live with me.  She was aging and could no longer live alone.  My cheerleader now needed one. 

 

So did I.

 

We needed all the friends and support we could get for the changes that had come to us.  Because of the years as a caregiver, I learned how important it is to stop and take a minute to check out the caregivers and see how they are doing. 

 

Being a cheerleader is not difficult, nor time consuming.  A minute, a hug, a word of encouragement will change the atmosphere of someone who has a burden and needs support.

 

Psalm 68:19