Showing posts with label full plate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label full plate. Show all posts

Strength from Weakness

 

car ride wiwth aunt polly

Have you ever had someone say to you, I don't know how you do it? As a caregiver, I think I'm supposed to take it as a compliment. I usually mutter something like, Oh, we all do what we need to do. Or some other blow-it-off phrase. But what I'd really like to do is yell - I don't know either!  Lol - maybe it's just me.

Caregivers just keep giving and doing day in and day out. We kind of get used to a new normal and get into a groove that makes everything happen. But of course, there are those little kinks. My kink usually starts with a cough. When I hear Chris cough I start making a plan. Do I have all his prescriptions on hand? Is the battery charged on the oxygen thingy? 

Other times it's less worrisome things like this week I ran out of gloves. They were delivered to the office on Saturday - but 1 - I couldn't go get them anyway. And 2 - I didn't know until after office hours. Not having supplies, aids not showing up, delivery services that have no available time slots before the time you need an item or two... these all wear us down!  

So, when someone says I don't know how you do it  (perhaps they should say - without breaking down.) I think - me either. Most days I don't feel like I "do it" well enough. But here's the thing I am learning. There is power in realizing our weaknesses. This morning I was reading in 2 Corinthians 4 where Paul is talking about the Light shining in our hearts and how we have this treasure in an earthen vessel. We are just a clay pot holding the very glory of God.

But Paul goes on to talk about how he was 

  • hard-pressed on every side but not crushed
  • perplexed but not in despair
  • persecuted but not forsaken
  • struck down but not destroyed
We talk a lot about how David poured out his honest, raw emotions before God too. What I like about David and Paul is that they were honest and transparent about their feelings. They weren't afraid to tell God the truth. That open and real expression is an act of worship. It's in those moments of weakness, that we realize His strength. As we pour out our souls and empty ourselves before Him - He fills us back up with His strength. Pauls says in my weakness You are strong.

Today, I will meditate on how God puts His strength in this weak, old clay pot. My thoughts will be on how He takes time to hear my deepest heartfelt cries and listens intently to them as He begins to pour new strength for a new day in. I'll rest right there - and trust Him for just today. Will you join me?

                                                                                                                                                                

A Great Gift!

 

my 2 kids

Yesterday and today both I've had this verse running through my head. It's something Jesus told His disciples and it's in John 14:27. The New Living Translation says it this way: I am leaving you with a gift - peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn't like the peace the world gives. So don't be troubled or afraid. I am embracing this verse today!

Just the thought that Jesus said He is giving us peace of heart and mind makes me stop, think, and be grateful. I think the hardest part is remembering to let it rule in our hearts and minds. The world is a crazy place right now and very little peace can be found anywhere. But Jesus said He was leaving it with us. 

What I really like is that He didn't exclude caregivers! He didn't exclude anyone. All we have to do is choose to accept this gift. He knows our proverbial plate is full - fuller than most. Yet He didn't say we couldn't have His peace if we had too much on our plate. We've just got to stop looking at the plate and look to Him for peace. (Right?)

Today, I'm going to take care of what needs taking care of (and that changes with the minute sometimes) - but keep my focus on Him. I will purposefully let His peace reign in my heart and mind. And when my mind runs away in a whirlwind of thoughts (and it will trust me!) I will stop and turn my thoughts back to His peace. I'll stop in my tracks and embrace His peace and intentionally let it have my heart and mind - will you join me?


A Worthy Break

It's a little past 10 in the morning and already I feel like my day is wasting away out of my control. There are so many things on my to-do list it's overwhelming. It's so easy to feel like there's just no way to get ahead. Maybe it's just me...

We live in a very busy society but for caregivers, it can see our tasks are lined up in a never-ending line. Some days I am very excited to get to half the things I need to get done. Other days, I force myself to be happy with the 2 or 3 finished tasks. Caregiving itself provides us with ample tasks each day. For me, this means transfers, preparing food, feeding my son at meals,  doing range of motion exercises, standing him, bathing, and various other daily tasks. Of course, there's also all the daily chores like laundry, dishes, and cleaning. And then if you work from home... you see where I'm going? There really is a lot to do each day. Overwhelming doesn't even seem to cover the description, does it?

Today, as usual, I started out behind, but I made a different choice. I stopped and took a break, once I found a small time slot for it to fit in. I picked my guitar and just sang a few simple praise songs. At least for a few minutes, the weight of the world was lifted off my shoulders as I turned my thoughts to Him and away from myself.

Praise breaks are great times to remind ourselves that our standing in the Kingdom of God didn't change when we became a caregiver. God did not change when our circumstances overwhelmed. He didn't get up off His throne and say, I quit. Not one word of truth disappeared out of the Bible when my world came crashing down. That's why I can take a break and find ways to praise Him - plenty of things to thank Him for.

Today, I encourage you to take a praise break, even if it's only five minutes. I started by thanking Him that my salvation is not voided or changed because of circumstances. From there, I found numerous things to thank Him for and ways to bless His name. It was a worthy break and I felt better afterward. I will turn my thoughts to what He has done that will stand the test of time and eternity - and I'll meditate on that today - as I take a praise break. Will you join me?

The Stare

  Do you ever just find yourself sitting and staring at the wall? It doesn't really happen too often because, quite frankly, who has tim...