Daily Devotions for Caregivers

  Do you ever just need a break? Haha - I forgot who I was talking to! Of course, you do! The real question is IF you'll get one, right? It's come to my attention that I may have some level of caregiver burnout. Little - like teeny, tiny, little things bother me to the max. I've thought about counseling, not sure if that would help or not. I've thought about giving myself a day off from "work." But I'm not really "off" even if I do that, you know? I have a few other workable ideas like taking a few more excursions and getting Chris out of the house more - because then, I get out too! :-) But I'm pretty sure I'm going to need more than one Saturday a month, although I'm grateful for that one day! All of these thoughts and more were rolling around in my head this morning. I hope it doesn't come down to it - but I may have to actually ask for help. (Lol - imagine that!) I know that God sees right where I am - and He sees you right w...

  This morning I let my mind and heart run around in Psalm 57 for a while. It's been a long-time favorite as I "found" it during one of the darkest storms of my life in 1986. I find myself going back there a lot. David penned this psalm while running for his life from Saul. He was hiding in a cave. Do you ever feel like you live in a cave as a caregiver? I know I did when I first brought Chris home. I found myself all alone almost all the time.  What David did in the cave is an example for us all. He wasn't shy about expressing his emotions or concerns. But he also wasn't shy about declaring his faith and trust in God, even in the tough times. He declared from the back of the cave I will hide beneath the shadow of Your wings. I cry to God! I will sing Your praises. Be exalted O God above the heavens. Even while navigating a difficult time in his life, he put his trust in God. I think we do that a lot. David also declared in verse 3 that God was going to send forth...

 I know we don't like to talk about our fears. Somehow we've let the world convince us that if we express any amount of fear or concern, we are not in faith. Nothing could be further from the truth. David even said What time I am afraid  I will trust in You. ( Psalm 56:3) We have so many stories of Bible heroes who faced difficulties that we sometimes forget they were human. Joseph cried bitterly  when his brothers sold him. He had to have been afraid. We read the rest of his story without a lot of emotions sometimes. It's easy to forget this is the life he was living - we're just reading it. Someone said real courage is moving ahead even though you are afraid. Without fear - situations don't take courage to face. I remember when I first brought my son home. Every time it was time to transfer him (which wasn't a lot back then), I'd get sick to my stomach. I was so scared I'd drop him or hurt him. Those fears were warranted - but they didn't last, tha...

We all want the best for the seniors in our lives, and as they get older, they may need more attention than you are able to provide. In that case, you have a big decision to make, and the only suitable option may be putting them in a nursing home or an assisted living facility. There are a lot of options for different facilities, and you need to ensure you can afford the associated costs. Here are some tips for how to find the best home for your senior. Consider the Services While many people may just rush to the nursing home that has the best reviews, you also need to consider the services that your senior needs and whether or not that home provides them. For instance, some seniors have issues with remembering basic tasks and they may need more memory care than anything else. The case may also be that your home will require more around-the-clock monitoring with an emphasis on incontinence care . The point is that you need to first talk to the senior or their doctor so you can decide ...

  As caregivers, we never know what a day will bring. Everything can change on a dime in an instant. By now we should have adjusting to changes down to a fine art, right? lol So this morning, I was reading through Psalm 37 and verse 39 jumped out to me. Now, there are LOTS of great nuggets in this psalm, as there are in many chapters. It speaks of His faithfulness, His provision, His grace, and lots more. But in verse 39, David says the salvation of the righteous is from the Lod, He is their strength in the time of trouble. I think it's safe to say that as caregivers, we generally live right smack dab in the middle of a time of trouble.  We are challenged with the every-day. Yet, we continue to navigate it day after day by the grace of God and by trusting in Him. We can most likely disagree on a lot of things - but we can agree that it is His strength that carries us through each day. He is our strength in the time of trouble - He is there right on time, just in time, right wh...

This morning, I spent my devotional time preparing for the Facebook live devotions I do each morning. I was reading in Matthew 6:2 -34. Jesus was telling those listening to the Sermon on the Mount that they shouldn't worry about anything. He said to seek the Kingdom first - and all these things will be added.  God knows what we need.  After I finished the live session, I sat down at the computer to write this morning's devotion for caregivers. I know I should probably write a few ahead but I really like writing it each morning. It helps me focus for the day!  I started thinking about how we talk a lot in this devotional about how we are complete in Him . We discuss how we still have all of His promises with nothing lacking. There are no exclusionary statements to limit caregivers' access to all of the blessings of God. I love that. But then, I started thinking that if there are no exclusions for caregivers on the good stuff, then there are no exclusions on the requirement...

 Are you just ever overwhelmed with emotions. I have those "moments" where I am just suddenly sad. I hope it's just me - but I have a good idea that you understand what I am talking about. I'm pretty sure it's all part of the living grief  that comes with the loss of a person whose body and spirit are still here. Caregivers often have a lot of grief and sadness to work through. Most of the time, I'm good, especially if Chris is making progress, feeling well, and interacting some. But there are times when I am incredibly sad and miss who he was. It can be difficult in those moments to find solid footing again. Of course, there are many chores and lots of work to keep my mind and body busy throughout the day - but if I'm not careful the sadness can sweep me away. I find myself struggling to find some small piece of peace. What's a caregiver to do in those times? A "moment" can come on us unannounced, unprovoked, and certainly unwelcomed. Then, ...