Skip to main content

Reloading

My mama and her sister, Polly

 This morning, when I turned my computer on, that little wheel went round and round. It always takes a little bit for my laptop to reboot, reset, and get ready to go for the morning. I stared at that little wheel that was spinning round and round. I thought it was a great representation of how my brain was acting this morning. Lol. Do you ever feel that way? 

My brain is trying to reload to take on another day, but the thoughts are just spinning round and round. It doesn't seem like anything is getting done at all. It's one of those days where I'd like to just sit and stare at the wall and drink coffee. But as caregivers, we all know that's not got a chance of happening. :-)

So, I pick up my Bible hoping to find something to help me reload for the day ahead, and again there's nothing. I'm pretty sure it's a sign of burnout. But who has time for burnout? There's too much to do, and this brain and heart of mine have to get reloaded, so I can get the tasks on my list done today. There's not really another option. 

It's so easy to feel like my boat is in the middle of a troubled sea, and water keeps splashing in with the wind and the waves. Is it just a matter of time until the boat fills up and begins to sink? Alone, in an unending sea of caregiving tasks, responsibilities, and cares, wondering what the day will bring. Will I sink, or will I swim? I try to imagine that God's huge hand swoops in and picks me up, and whisks my soul away to safety. But I don't really have that promise. 

What I do have, though, is the promise that He is with me. Isaiah 43:1-2 doesn't promise smooth sailing. What it does promise is that when - not if - we go through the rough waters and the fires of life, God is with us. It also reminds us that the fire won't consume us, and the flood won't overtake us. But it is certainly not a pleasant feeling, is it?

As I meditate on this passage on Isaiah, I like to think of it as reloading my soul to trust God for another day. I remind myself that He's been with me and seen me through every fire and flood my soul has faced so far, and today is not the day He will choose to change. Slowly, I reload my brain with scriptures that bring comfort. Maybe I'll even take time to read them to myself out loud this morning. 

Today, I find His presence comforting to my soul. I will pull out my favorite scriptures and reload my brain with them to encourage myself to continue trusting Him even in the storm(s). I'll remind myself that He's not going to pick today to leave His promises undone. He's promised peace in the storms, His presence in the darkest passageways of life, and His peace for my reloading brain this morning. I'll reload my brain with the truth that He is here, so I can trust Him for one more long day. Will you join me?


                                                                                                                                           


Would You Like to Help Dove's Fire Ministries?

Maybe you've wondered about helping support all that goes on at DFM. One way is to shop my personal bookstore, which has devotionals, Bible study guides, and more that I have written. Dove's Fire Ministries Bookstore.

You can also donate via PayPal at paypal.me/dovesfireministries 
Or you can donate via CashApp: $JeanieOlinger
Or if you have Venmo my ID is:@Mary-Olinger-6

Comments

  1. I’m not very tech savvy but I am a caregiver. I’m 84 years old and care for my totally disabled husband. I do have help early morning and bedtime. I never wanted to be a caregiver but have been for MANY years, caring for quadriplegic brother, then my Mother who went to very final stage of Alzheimer’s and now my husband. So I guess God wanted me to be one. I don’t always do it with a grateful heart but actually have a “poor me” attitude at times. I’ve just found your devotional and will try to follow.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I am so happy you found the devotional today!! Welcome! You're a caregiving expert, for sure, with all those years of experience. I pray that the Caregiver is able to comfort your heart through these devotions and that He will carry you when needed. Thanks for reaching out, and if I can help you in any way, please let me know!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ups and Downs

  Maybe it's just "that time of year" for me, but I've struggled a lot the last few weeks. I still affectionately  call it the caregiver's fog. Lol. Okay, maybe it's not-so-affectionately. I know I can share my true feelings with you guys because you get it. You understand the day-to-day grind of caregiving. The military has a saying about there being no easy day. I think we live in that reality. It's just not easy caring for another whole person, is it? Caregiving presents many difficulties. We can find ourselves alone, so very alone on this journey. It doesn't just go away. We don't just work through it. It seems to go on and on. There are lots of ups and downs - and that can be about every 90 seconds some days. Right? (smile!) As I've been working through this emotional maze the last few days, I turned my thoughts to Daniel. Let's take a realistic look at his circumstances because as we read his story in the Bible, we tend to glamorize i

The Practical Side of Caregiving

 This week, I've been reading the book of Acts. I am enjoying the journey of the early church. Can you imagine what it would be like if your church saw 5000 people saved in a day? Mass chaos would ensue as leadership tried to figure out how to serve that many people! It'd be great and difficult at the same time - kind of like caregiving. Lol. But yesterday, I got stuck in Acts 9 thinking about a practical caregiving issue. In verse 32, we read that Peter was traveling around and encouraging all the new believers. He came to the town of Lydda. Verse 33 says in the NLT, There he (Peter) met a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and bedridden for eight years. Now, the next verses talk about how Peter proclaimed healing, and the man just got up! That's so amazing. But my brain got stuck on some of the practical parts. Aeneas was paralyzed and bedridden. My mind compared the situation to my son, of course, even though he's not "paralyzed." I started wondering

Seasons Are Temporary

  This morning, I found myself reading in Isaiah 28. I ended up there because I was looking for something in particular, and even though I didn't find what I was looking for, I found what I needed. God's so cool like that, isn't He? My eyes first fell on verse 29, which says in the NKJ: This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. I rolled that over in my mind and heart a few times and spent a few minutes thinking about how I'd seen His counsel in action in my own life. We've all had those times when we weren't sure what to do or where to go, and suddenly, an idea drops into our thoughts. There are many ways He provides direction for us. He may direct our steps through a passage of scripture, a trusted spiritual leader such as a pastor, a YouTube teacher, and maybe even a lowly blog writer. Lol. No matter how He chooses to deliver His counsel, it comes - but we must listen. After I had rolled these thoughts and t