Caregivers….

Hearing about our latest music icon’s death…one thought that struck me was the  caregiving of her husband to the extent she let her own health care fall behind…

This happens over and over again and has for centuries…we are so reeled in on our family’s care, that we let our own go by the wayside…

One article, I read years ago was about caregivers who actually died before their patient did because they were so diligent in their care giving…the percentage was actually pretty high…

Having been there, caregiving takes all of your emotional and physical strength…the care is tied to their relationship with one another and their relationships with others…once the visitors go home, the nights begin…lack of sleep, anxiety, mental and physical strength are worn thin…there is no time to take care of yourself or we tell ourselves that…and in reality there isn’t enough ….that is when we need to call in reinforcements if they are available or we actually trust someone else to do “our” work/care…the nights are long as well as the days…we suffer along with our loved one’s, feel their pain …our empathy pour us over in abundance….we pray with them, for them from the depths of our souls and many times we leave the prayers to the Holy Spirit as we have no words….

Psalm 119: 28 My soul is weary with sorrow;

    strengthen me according to your word.

Isaiah 40 : 29 He gives strength to the weary

    and increases the power of the weak.

Jeremiah 31 : 25 I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

Matthew 11:28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Romans 8: 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Many times it is hard just to concentrate on “easy” daily tasks, let alone anything “big”…… 

I pray for you my friends who are walking this path…there is hope, there is a burden bearer….there is Jesus…

Thank YOU…

Thank you Jesus….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Sq3f8idcCI

Jesus takes my burdens away…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HsDaGlzAq4

 By land, by sea, by air…back home…

My dove chocolate had the little sayin, “celebrate the little things”….

I don’t have dove chocolates very often, so I do celebrate those little bites when I do…but this one was a reminder to do it anyway…

Other small sayings…

Rejoice in the Lord always again it rejoice…

Give thanks in all things…

Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved…

It is finished…

He wept…

And He had compassion….

We drove, ferried, flew home yesterday…each a small part of the whole journey…it was a short trip all together, but we celebrated it…the happy family, the happy new couple, the fresh air, the mountains, the forests….

When you think of the creation from the small minute pieces to the gigantic that our Creator spoke into existence…he celebrated…He saw that it was good…he celebrated the man and woman…he celebrates in us as the angels rejoice when they see us… 

Luke 15: ’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Thank YOU….

God saw it was good…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaWr_z9Nz1c

  By air, by sea, by land…trip 3….

About three weeks ago, I begged/asked one of my daughters if I could attend one of the weddings they had scheduled this summer.   I was getting cabin fever from the summer heat and smoke we were experiencing…we couldn’t go out because the smoke was so bad and the heat so high day after day…

I know that sounds flimsy, but it is true…and I appreciate the firefighters who have and are working so diligently through this summer with so many fires…

Anyway, back to the wedding…it is in Port Angeles, Washington…sea breezes…fresh sea air, out of the house, cooler,blue sky-maybe…and so here I am…for three days…a break…

First, fly to Seattle…then ferry to an island, then drive to the town on the northwest corner of the Olympic Peninsula …a town where logging prospered, trade abounds, tourism remains, fishing boats fill the bay…deer roam the yards, otter play on the docks, mountains rise with their snowcapped peaks, fresh seafood for you choosing, quiet streets to walk, forests welcome, marine life to view, wild blackberries to pick on most strolls…quite the change from the sweltering heat and 24 hour smoke to breathe…I am so thankful…

God has provided so much.  What a creation we live in…even the smoke and heat has its purpose, it makes me appreciate the abundance we have…

The song this all reminds me of is an old song…this land is your land…not a hymn, or something spiritual…just a Song of thankfulness…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q7PULELvok

Thank YOU for your provision for our enjoyment….your care…your love….

 The    blessings…

The sun was rising, the air clean, the temperature just right….

Walking to the nearby school to walk ….

This song came up…wanted to stop and just sing with it,   Too many witnesses…so sang in my heart…

Praise….

The Blessing…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnC7z03QkEM&list=OLAK5uy_lOIw3NO90pYeKvM6ZVOeaTIxagE3S1XDA&index=6

 Where did the time go?!….

I awoke this morning, checked my watch to check the time, (too early of course)…the date is right under the time and it said tomorrow’s date and day!

Shock, is it really the next day, was I off…no, yesterday was Tuesday and today is Wednesday…oh, well…maybe it will right itself…it hasn’t so far…

Time seems to be flying anyway….getting those graduation or wedding invites from young people who were just babies…or seeing your grandchildren marry and have children of their own…is does  seem that time does fly…

The Word speaks of “time” over 800 times…

A few…

Genesis 1:14 And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years,

Psalm 9:9 The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,

    a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 59:16 But I will sing of your strength,

    in the morning I will sing of your love;

for you are my fortress,

    my refuge in times of trouble.

Ecclesiastes 3

Isaiah 9: 7 Of the greatness of his government and peace

    there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne

    and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it

    with justice and righteousness

    from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the Lord Almighty

    will accomplish this.

1 Peter 5: 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.

 2Peter 3:8 but do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day

I glad he is control of the time…times…he is not one day early or late…nor does time surprise Him…

Thank YOU…

God is always on time…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1L6zv_ilzY

 Traffic Jam….

Yesterday I volunteered to take my neighbor to our main bus terminal which is on the other side of our valley, about 30-45 minutes away…

We doubled the time it usually takes, giving us plenty of time to spare… about  3 miles into the journey, we hit a wall of stalled traffic …not a good sign… our time was swiftly ticking away…the traff kept moving slowly, slowly on the freeway (a misnomer, it wasn’t freely moving and was more of a parkway, more descriptive)…

Our time of departure was coming soon, so she called the bus information about getting a refund or credit on her unused ticket…no such thing…then she specifically prayed that the bus would be late for some reason…

The traffic thinned about two miles from the bus stop, four minutes to go…we buzzed down the freeway, staying within the speed limit, drove into  the airport, zoomed to the stop…one bus standing, waiting-wrong bus…people milling round, another bus pulls in behind us-the right bus…stops and starts taking on passengers…God had delayed that bus!  Praise all around…a good faith start for the morning….

Now , I realize He could have said no, as well. But, it was fun to get a yes…i

1 Samuel 12: 24 But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.

Psalm 40:11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, Lord;

    may your love and faithfulness always protect me.

Thank YOU…

You are faithful….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GpsOoMPLrA

 Jesus , keep me…2

In your presence…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6IaMAnYdA0M

 Here I am….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GkNY89jt6I

In the garden…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgCdiSutvxc

Thank YOU…