Do you ever get to the end of the day and realize how much you left undone? I am only one caregiver, but I imagine if I could just sit and talk with other caregivers, many of us, most likely most of us, have way too many responsibilities and chores to fit inside a 24-hour day. Maybe we could do more if we skipped sleep, which I've thought about a LOT, but just get too fuzzy-minded to do much after 11 or midnight. Lol.
No matter what our caregiving story details look like, it can keep us busy. We live life on our toes, so to speak because we never know what kind of day-interrupters are going to occur. For the most part, I know in the morning that there is no way I can realistically get to every item on my to-do list. However, I just keep trying. The problem is that when I lay down at night, most nights, I feel like a failure. That's because I have my focus on what didn't get done instead of what did get done. Never mind that I totally cared for another whole adult human who is full care. That mostly means I do everything double - 2 baths, dressed two people, cooked for and fed 2 people, took two people to the living room, back to bed, did laundry for two people, etc. Basically, double everything we do for ourselves, and that sucks a big portion of our day away. Not to mention all the other things like work that must be done every day. It's too easy to feel defeated - if we focus on that.
However, if we can focus on what we did get done - maybe it'll help us keep our heads up.
Isn't that the same with our walk of faith? It's easy to condemn ourselves for the lack we see or our shortcomings. And if we only focus on what we can't or didn't do - we'll be defeated from the get-go. But if we shift our focus to Him and what He has done for us, it is a game changer.
I see my lack and failures, but I focus on His sufficient grace. My shortcomings and inadequacies stare me in the face, but I choose to focus on His mercy. I know better than anyone the things I do wrong. If I focus on them, I will be defeated before I ever get started. But if I focus on the victories Christ has already accomplished for me - I can gain the strength to face another day.
By shifting my focus off of myself and onto His righteousness, salvation, keeping power, peace, unending love, and undeniable goodness - I receive strength to make it to the end of the day. Then, when the day runs out, and I see I have run short, I can still rejoice that He saw me through another caregiving day. Can't we honestly say that we've made it through every tough day so far - by His strength?
Today, I'll remind myself that He has seen my soul through every difficult caregiving day so far. My meditations will be on how trustworthy He is, how faithful He is, and how gracious He is to carry me as needed - without complaining a bit! I'll think about how often I feel His strong yet gentle arms undergird my heart and wipe away the tears of the day as He stands me back up on my feet and fills me with peace and strength to go on. I know I can trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?
I closed my bookstore to save the expense - but I'm in the process of moving the books all over to my Amazon bookshelf. I added a few Kindle books last night, with more to come. Check out my Amazon bookstore.
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