Tuesday, February 05, 2008

Finding My Footing

We're slowly finding our footing with our new routine. Our hospice nurse, Janet, came yesterday, and our new personal aide, Ruth, came for the first time today.

I've got a handle on the early morning. I've got the breakfast tray down pat; I'm cooking the turkey bacon just right. The medicines are complicated, but I'm learning.

Divine good fortune, my mother is still here and will be for another week. She's great at bedtime.

Nanny decided today to let go of her apartment. Slowly things fall into place and resolve themselves. One day at a time is all we have to do.

16 comments:

cathieb said...

I check in with you often .... although I don't comment. I just wanted to say that I am lifting you and your family up in prayers. May God comfort you during this most challenging time.

Tracy said...

You sound as good as can be. I'm thankful that you seem confident in your caretaking. That's important to everyone. May the Lord continue to bless your efforts, Anna.

Kelly said...

May our God supply your strength....will contiinue to pray for all of you there.....

Kelly

Rebecca said...

One of the greatest blessings in my life was being able to take care of my grandma before she died. God is so faithful and will give you strength and peace.

C.A. Worcester said...

Dear Anna,

Hello blog friend. I have been thinking of you off and on as the day goes by. Wondering how you are doing.....how your mother is getting along and how your Grandmother is fairing.

I had a friend send me this e-mail today....I thought of you and some others in my life that might be encouraged by it. I know I was/am.

You are so right....one day at a time.....it is easy to say, but so hard to do...at least for me.

Blessings and Shalom to you and your family Anna. Praying for you always. :-) (copied e-mail follows.)

C.A. Worcester

From my friend Sherri Hayden (mother of a child that possibly has failing kidneys right now....please pray for her son and her family if you think of them. Thank you so much!)

God graciously imparts all the grace we need for today. We do not need
grace for tomorrow but only for today. "My grace is sufficient for
thee," Jesus stated. What power! Jesus' grace is our ALL-SUFFICIENCY.
Since His strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9),
where we are weak, in HIM we are strong. Paul gloried in his
infirmities, that the power of Christ would rest upon him. Did Paul
simply glory in being weak? He gloried in the LORD in his weakness. In 2
Corinthians 10:17 we see that he wrote, "But he that glorieth, let him
glory in the Lord." How do we glory in the Lord?

Psalm 50:23 states, "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me: and to him
that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God."
Offering praise to the Lord glorifies Him. Praise Him for who He is--for
all that you know of Him. Praise Him for His attributes. Praise Him in
the way David praised Him by speaking audibly or in your heart what the
Psalms speaks of Him. Order your conversation (lifestyle/behavior)
aright (according to God's Word). "Sing unto the Lord the glory due unto
His name. Bring an offering; worship the Lord in the beauty of
holiness." A holy, pure heart and life brings praise and glory to the
Lord. "O that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His
wonderful works to the children of men!" (Psalm 107:8) Let us praise Him
for His wonderful works on each of our behalf.

"The voice of joy, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the
bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the voice of them that shall
say, Praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for His mercy
endureth for ever: and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise
into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of
the land, as at the first, saith the Lord." (Jeremiah 33:11)

"O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth.
Sing unto the Lord, bless His name; show forth His salvation from day to
day. Declare His glory among the heathen, His wonders among all people.
For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared
above all gods...Honor and majesty are before Him: strength and beauty
are in His sanctuary. Give unto the Lord, O ye kindreds of the people,
give unto the Lord glory and strength. Give unto the Lord the glory due
unto His name: bring an offering, and come into His courts. O worship
the Lord in the beauty of holiness: fear before Him, all the earth.
(Psalm 96:1-9)

Consider the song, Day by Day, words by Berg; translated from Swedish to
English by Skoog:

1. Day by day, and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for! fear.
He, whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
Gives unto each day what He deems best,
Lovingly its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

2. Every day the Lord Himself is near me,
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear and cheer me,
He whose name is Counselor and Pow'r.
The protection of His child and treasure
Is a charge that on Himself He laid;
"As thy days, thy strength shall be in measure,"
This the pledge to me He made.

3. Help me then, in every tribulation,
So to trust Thy promises, O Lord,
That I lose not faith's sweet consolation,
Offered me within Thy holy Word.
Help me, Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
E'er to take, as from a father's hand,
One by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
Till with Christ the Lord I stand.

Praying for you and praising God with you!

Anonymous said...

One day at a time, just doing the "next thing"....you are on the right track! I know that you are keeping your eyes on the Lord, too. These days will be ones you will cherish the rest of your life, Anna. They are difficult, but they are beautiful nonetheless.

April said...

It sounds as though you are finding your characteristic grace. Praying.

Cheri said...

Great is His faithfulness.
As the hymn says, "Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow..."

Anonymous said...

much love to you and to all those you hold dear ... make sure you are taking good care of you as well as everyone else.
thinking of you all
Denise
x

Janel said...

After just spending a month (Dec) with my mom who had brain surgery, I appreciate some of what you're going through.

Hugs & Prayers!

Anonymous said...

Be encouraged, you really can do all things that God wants you to do with the strength He gives you through Christ Jesus.

Look for those little joys in each day. They're there even in the most difficult times.

God bless you and give you strength and grace.

Laura
happy at home

Eleanor Joyce said...

I find myself in a very similar situation, and have been down this road before. There IS beauty in seeming bleakness, and God is there. I forget the chapter and verse, but there is a verse that says "...as thy days, so shall thy strength be..." and it is true. Looking back you will see that these days are a great gift to your grandmother, mother, your family, and yourself. God bless.

Carla said...

My mother passed away two days after Thanksgiving. Thankfully, Daddy had called me and I was able to be there, to take some of the burden from him, to tell Mother I loved her and to render whatever small service I could. I think God goes with us during these times to give us the strength and the grace to stand up under the pressures we face. I miss her daily, hourly, but am grateful for her well-lived life and gracious death. God grant that we — you and I — live and die with a similar measure of peace. In the meantime, it is our privilege to give womanly succor to those we love. You are blessed to be able to care for her. Go with God...

Anonymous said...

Some of the most precious times I spent with my grandmother were the days that my mother was caring for her in her last weeks in our home. We have fond memories of packing all "20" (or so it seemed) of us in her bedroom Christmas morning to open gifts. I understand the challenge to get the turkey bacon just right, or the water the right temperature, etc.. The blessings are abundant and it is such a privilege. We will keep your journey in our prayers as you prepare to hand her to Jesus.

Dena said...

As a former hospice nurse all I can say is these will be grace filled days for you and your family. A nurse I once worked with said it is quite a blessing when you are holding one hand of the one you love as Jesus takes a hold of the other hand and leads the person Home. May you and all your family feel the presence of Christ in a very special way in these days leading to Easter as you anticipate the day when your grandmother will see the face of Christ and be welcomed home forever to celebrate in the presence of the Risen Lord! Dena

A said...

The challenges of the medical side can seem overwhelming. I cared for my mother in the year after a brain aneurysm, and I was grateful for the meager medical experience that came while doing direct care. It was a challenge. More of a challenge was the spiritual side and holding myself and my walk with God together. Hopefully, being surrounded by your family of believers will help to hold your arms up in this battle(as Joshua and Aaron did for Moses!)

My grandmother has told me again and again how much of a comfort it was to her to know that I was with my grandfather in his last moments here. To be able to bless them like that . . . a bigger blessing for me.

My heart goes out to you! And my prayers go heavenward for you!

Amanda

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