Daily Devotions for Caregivers

 For caregivers, having a moment here or there to just sit and breathe can be few and far between. We are pretty much on-call 24/7, even if we care for our loved ones long distance. There isn't a time we can just slip away and not be available because we never know when a call may come. Sometimes, it's a small decision. Other times, it can be critical. So, it's important to be on duty and vigilant all the time. For those who provide around-the-clock up-close-and-personal care for loved ones, it's difficult to find a moment to ourselves, even when we live in a caregiver's cave! But sometimes, the universe aligns just right, and a caregiver gets to sit with a cup of coffee or sip on their tea and take a breath. Even though it's rare, when it does happen, I find myself allowing a long, deep sigh to escape.  It's involuntary, meaning I didn't plan for it. It just happens. The deep sigh is an emotional response that is healthy, actually. It's part of the ...

 Caregiving is a journey on a road that has many hills and valleys. Some parts of the journey can seem like the hills and valleys are all bumped up next to each other, and there are no breaks in between. This is a pretty accurate description of one day. Sometimes, it explains the emotions of an hour. And sometimes, even less time can occur between the highs and lows. Highs and lows for caregivers can be in so many areas, and even all at the same time. Wins and losses all add up and we just hope that at the end of the day we are in the red emotionally. No matter how the day's game plays out  - we all want the W in the end! TheW, in sports terms, is the Win, ultimate victory! Everything doesn't have to run smoothly, and it doesn't have to be the greatest day ever - we just need to feel like we won the day as we crawl into bed each night. When David was at Ziklag, he was in one of his lowest moments. He'd been rejected by the Philistine army, as the lead commander didn...

  Do you ever just feel alone? Social isolation is real for caregivers. Now that we are mostly post-pandemic and things are going back to something like normal, it reminds us that our lives are anything but normal. I've started taking Chris out more - mostly for stimulation. He acts differently when we are out - I think he's bored with our little 2-bedroom apartment. Lol. And while getting out is so good for both of us, pushing his chair around social settings and outings just serves to remind me how different we are. Most people have no idea what caregivers deal with on a daily basis. But what's worse is they don't want to get close enough to know. And having no one close is what seems to eat away at us many times. Now, I hope you have plenty of friends and family who are close and keep in touch with you. But sadly, too many caregivers feel stuck alone in their caves. That's where I have been this week. It's okay - I just have to adjust a little, so I don't...