Daily Devotions for Caregivers

 I had a very awkward moment while talking with a nurse yesterday. She called to schedule my appointment with a cardiologist. After we had it scheduled, I explained that I am a caregiver and I don't have a sitter for my son. I asked about COVID protocol and if it was okay if I brought him to this initial appointment. She said it was fine and that there are no limitations on visitors in place. She said - as long as he will wear a mask. I assured her that he can wear a mask - then I chuckled and said - "He'll have to - he can't move his arms so he can't take it off." I thought it was funny but then a very awkward silence followed.  Now I admit I can have a weird sense of humor, and I can make a joke about almost anything. While it wasn't an awkward moment for me, I felt bad if I made her feel uncomfortable. She'll get used to me - I know it's an adjustment. (lol) But it made me do some thinking about when it's okay to laugh. That statement wouldn...

 Change is inevitable as we ride out the waves of caregiving. Even though we figure out a way to survive from day to day, the unexpected can occur at any time. These can be little, big, or huge! We just sort of learn to roll with the tide, don't we? The tougher part is that our emotions can roll with those tides too. Maybe there's a big swell of sadness, grief, or happiness. Then we may dip down to despair or despondency. We just never really know, for real! But we just keep riding it out day after long day. But you know what's cool? God rides it out with us. He is big enough to carry us and keep us secure in all the rolls and turns of caregiving. No matter how high or low the tides of emotions go, no matter how joyous or sad a day becomes, and no matter how difficult or easy navigating the day-to-day is - He is big enough to handle it. He's big enough to handle my emotions, my tears, my joys, my everything-in-between. We literally never have to worry about if He has th...

I don't want to brag, but I can go from I'm okay, I've got this to the depths of emotional despair on a dime. Is that just me? The day is rocking along. I'm in control. I've got it, getting things done. And then Bam! Out of seemingly nowhere a thought, a photo, a song, a memory, a whatever else - snaps my emotions in two. I'm wiping tears from my eyes, thankful for the memory, but wondering why. I have a feeling it is very common among caregivers. Even though our journeys tend to be widely different, they often lead us along similar emotional paths. We are good one minute and not - the next.  That's why I love His grace so much. In 2 Corinthians 12, Paul was whining. Don't tell them I said so, but apostles seem to be a whiney lot. (LOL - lighten up!) He did not  like what he was going through. As a matter of fact, he admitted to asking God three times to remove it from him. God did not.  Paul begged God to remove his "thorn in the flesh" - his ...

  As caregivers all our days can seem difficult, some are just more difficult than others. I was trying to explain to a friend what it was like to provide total care to another human being. lol. As I found my description falling short, I finally asked, "What all did you do this morning to get yourself ready today?" He listed all the things he did - shower, shave, put on clothes, drink a cup of coffee, and more. I then said, "double it." Everything you did to get ready now has to be done for another whole person. Think of it like twice everything. That doesn't even take into account the various decisions we often have to make on their behalf, medications they have to be given, feedings...and more. Btw, these are facts - not burdens. Whether we are long-distance or in-home caregivers, there is a lot more to it than meets the eye. I try not to spend too much time worrying about the future because each day has a long list of demands that must be met. So, this mornin...