Nope - Not Ready!

 

Chris standing in his room

One of the improvements my son has made lately is that he can communicate "yes" and "no" more clearly. He uses his left hand to sign, "yes." He's also started nodding his head for yes more consistently. To communicate "no," he shifts his eyes from one side to the other. As he has regained more function, this is broader, and now he is moving his head from side to side for an emphatic, "No!"

I'm learning not to ask questions he might say no to. I need him to know that I respect his answers. But this morning, I forgot and asked him if he was ready for his shower. I got a whole head and eyes side to side, "NO!" lol. Too bad, it's shower day.

A little compassion kicked in as I thought of all the mornings I've thought, NO! I do NOT want to get up and get started today! 

So many times, caregivers are tired before they even begin, but must just get up and get going since there is so much to do! How many mornings have we dragged ourselves out of bed because we had to, even though we'd really like to lie there for just a few more? The day is going to run its course whether we are ready or not! 

I know we already talked a bit about Isaiah 40 this week, but there's this one phrase I'd like to point out. Verse 28 says that God never gets tired and He never grows weary. He won't roll his eyes at the start of a new day. In fact, Lamentations 3:23 says His mercies are new every morning. But God lives in eternal light, there is no nighttime, and there is no morning. That tells me that He refreshes His mercies for our new morning, He is ready and willing, whether we are or not!

Today I will remind myself that God's already covered me today, long before I ever even got to today. His mercies were already enough for today, before today ever got here; and they are quite enough to last the whole day. Plus, they are already waiting for us tomorrow. God has us covered all the way around, no matter what comes our way or what stays away. I'll be thankful that He doesn't get tired at all, and He certainly doesn't get tired of us. So thankful for that! I believe I can trust this faithful God for one more day. Will you join me?




cover of Command Your MOrning part 2

Check out my latest release. Command Your Morning part 2. This 31-day devotional is the second one in my series Command Your Morning. (Yes, I already started on part 3 - and you're gonna love it!) Take a 31-day journey through Psalm 119 as you practice setting your intention to point your heart at God each day. It's available on Kindle and Print. Check it out!



Comments

Post a Comment

Our Most Popular Posts

Find a New Hobby for These Surprising Benefits

Image
   Hobbies can help us connect to our creative side, spend quality time with our loved ones , and boost confidence, and, as EverydayPower.com notes, they can also promote mental and physical wellness . Whether you’re learning something new from a class or taking the initiative to tackle a project at home, practicing a hobby can improve your quality of life enormously. Looking for something fun to do with a friend or loved one?   Here are a few suggestions when you’re ready to find a fun new hobby to try:   Choose something that boosts your health   It can be challenging to take care of your overall wellness at times, especially when you’re busy taking care of family obligations. Learning to focus on your physical and mental health needs is much easier when it’s fun, however, and that’s where a hobby comes in. Look for one that helps you get active , such as a yoga class, or consider starting a walking group or joining a local organization that allow...
Read more

But I Have Today

Image
Do you ever have days that are just heavier than others? Of course, you do - who am I talking to? Saturday was Chris' 37th birthday. For some reason, it was unusually hard as I thought of where all his friends are today. You know, married, having kids, and enjoying their careers. I cried more than once that day. I grieved over what should have been, what could have been.  I hugged him a little tighter and thought about the progress he's made recently. The other night, I am certain he "sang" to me after I got him in bed. It was the sweetest thing and I posted it in his Facebook group where I share things I don't feel I can share as "publicly." He's moving more and initiating more of his movement on his own. There are many things to rejoice about. At the same time, I am getting older. My joints hurt and I wonder how much longer I can take care of him. I fear the day that I won't be able to. This is the way the rest of my life looks, and I am okay w...
Read more

No Get Out of Jail Free Cards?

Image
  Do you ever feel like life just doesn't let up? Sometimes it seems like caregivers should get some sort of exempt card. You know? Something that lets us stay in the cave without having to deal with all the craziness that's going on in the world. Well, it was just a thought. I guess there are no "get out of jail free cards" in life. A pandemic rages on and we didn't get an exempt card, did we? Political and civil unrest didn't qualify us for one either. We have to deal with all the craziness in the world plus our caregiving responsibilities. Isn't caregiving enough? Dealing with aids who don't show, people and family who do not know how to help so they avoid us, and the traffic of health care professionals of all sorts is enough for any given day. Yet it happens over and over again. How do we stay sane?  Caregivers are resilient - we just keep going. Every night I go to bed feeling like I failed. I didn't get enough done. It's easy to focus on...
Read more