Daily Bread

As a general rule I am a planner. I'm pretty flexible inside my "plan" but I like to have everything organized, thought out and well planned. At the same time, I can get by with some fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants days. The one thing about caregiving is that a schedule can mean absolutely nothing. Everyday stands (or falls) on its own. Joni Erikson Tada is someone I've followed for many years now. I read her book about how she was injured and became a quadriplegic in her teens. She says the thing about having a disability is that it's so daily. There isn't a day off - ever. Caregiving is the same.

We don't have weekends, holidays or days off. Even though I try to get out of town two or three times a year just to have a break I'm on call and never really "off" even though I get somewhat of a break from daily tasks. Caregiving is a constant - ever moving, never ending, never done job.

As I am getting in bed at night my thoughts are combing back over the day's activities and turning toward tomorrow's. Last night as I was drifting off to sleep I thought of how daily caregiving is and I prayed for strength for another day. I thought of Lamentations 3:22-23 that tells us His mercies and lovingkindness are new every morning. I thought about how I was going to need a fresh dose upon rising this morning!

Jesus taught His disciples to pray give us this day our daily bread. And while God was leading the Children of Israel across the desert to the Promised Land, He provided them just enough manna for each day.

So today I have to say that I trust Him to carry me and provide for me just what I need for today. Tomorrow is to be planned for but not worried about. Today He will give me the mercy, grace, peace and sustenance to make it to tomorrow. And then He will do it again!

It's the day-to-day struggles that can get us down if we do not stay focused on Him. That constant grinding of daily activities can wear us down. So today I will focus just on today and His provision for it. I will meditate on His fresh mercies this morning and trust Him to see me through until I face another day tomorrow.  My thoughts will be on His sustaining grace and how He alone can make each day new. I will trust Him for strength for today. Will you join me?