Daily Devotions for Caregivers

  I'm so thankful for each new day. Scripture promises us that His mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:23) God doesn't have mornings since He dwells in constant light - because He is the light! So, that leads me to believe that He's created new mercies for each of our new mornings. That makes sense. Have you ever had a situation you were not sure how to handle? You went to sleep and voila! When you woke up, you knew exactly how to handle it. How that happens while we sleep - I will never know. But it happens a lot. There's something about having a new day to take on old problems. It's refreshing and often revealing. But this morning, as I was reading, I realized Jesus made us a promise for our new days. I didn't necessarily like it, though. In Matthew 6, during the sermon on the mount - He's talking about not worrying about stuff. God is our Father, and He knows. He knows that we need all the basic stuff like food and clothes. Jesus promises us th...

 Never underestimate the small stuff. As caregivers, sometimes it's the smallest gestures that mean the most. A couple of years ago, I had gone up to see my mom for Mother's Day. On the way home, I stopped at a local lake just to see if it was accessible. I was pushing my son out to see the water, and a young man passed. He suddenly stopped, turned around, and said, "Happy Mother's Day." I felt his genuine compassion, and with tears sneaking up in my eyes, I quietly said, "thank you." No one else had thought to tell me HMD. And, of course, my son can't. Even though it was from a total stranger - it meant so much. The smallest things often weigh the most. I thought about some of these things as I was reading in Micah this morning. In chapter 5, he's talking about the small city of Bethlehem. He says  you are only a small village in Judah.   But then, the prophet goes on to prophesy about the birth of Christ, and he says, Yet a ruler of Israel will...

 As a caregiver, it's never a pleasant experience when people distance themselves. But I'm sorry to say, it happens a lot. At least it has for me. I've had a few people over the years who ran like the house was on fire once they found out I chose to care for my son at home rather than putting him in a facility. There's nothing wrong with a facility when it's needed. But I felt like my son would be at an advantage in a home environment. I can think of two people who literally walked away when they found out this was what they felt was a "choice."  Then yesterday, I was FaceTiming with a distant cousin. It was time to tube feed Chris. My cousin asked me to set the phone where he couldn't see that. That doesn't really bother me - because some people are squeamish. I was at first, too, but I soon got over it! lol. While it didn't bother me, it made me think about some stuff. Like how people look away because they don't want to see the painful p...

  Don't you love those times when God feels so close? There is no doubt that He's right here - right now and He's walking through the day or midnight with you. I do. But then there are those times that even though I know  He's here - I can't seem to find Him or hear Him. Those are not fun times, for sure. This morning I read in Jeremiah 23:23-24 where God said through the prophet: An I a God near at hand and not a God afar off? Can anyone hide in secret places, so I cannot see him? do I not fill heaven and earth? There were several things in these two verses that spoke to my heart personally this morning. I love that God asks in an explanative way  - how can I be close and not be far? Because I don't know where you are, but I'm happy to say that God is right here in Oklahoma with me and my son! :-) He is also there with you wherever you and your loved ones are. So, He's near to me here - yet far away from me with you. AND  He's near to you there - bu...

  You ever just have one of "those days"? I'm in one now - but it started yesterday when I was verbally attacked by a client. It sent me off on this emotional train wreck as it felt like everything was caving in around me. It wasn't, but it sure felt like it until I got a grip on His grace again! It's taken me a long time to get all that out of my head and to remind myself that I am valuable to Him - and nothing else - no one else's opinion really matters. This morning, I spent time praying about it all and writing it out in my journal. That is a tool I highly recommend as it is a safe place - with no one else's opinions and no one else's thoughts. I like it because I can put it all there - walk away and never look back. It really is a great way to plan my personal changes. It's also a great place to leave all the emotions there and walk away. As I finished writing out my thoughts and prayers, I found myself in Psalm 13. It says How long, O Lord wi...

 This week it seems like it's been just one thing after another. From asthma attacks to clogged feeding tubes. As if it's not enough to just handle the "normal" day-to-day tasks of caregiving, it seems like sometimes these extras just need to pop up. Lol. It really is about the whole journey, isn't it? We're taking care of another whole person, after all! But I've started noticing something about the journey - I think it's just an itsy bitsy bit easier to find His peace in the middle of it all. I've accepted that I'm an overthinker - it's just how I process stuff. But even in that process, I'm finding His peace a little quicker these days. Too bad He didn't equip us with a "peace" button we could push when we need it. I need a "grace" button too. lol.  Sometimes, the journey to finding His peace is long and hard. But I have to say it's worth it. However, that doesn't mean that I have it all together yet. ...

  Even though the number of caregivers around the world is climbing, many people just don't get us. Baby Boomers are starting to care for their aging parents, which is why the numbers are rising. There are also a lot of people like me sandwiched between caring for aging loved ones and kids with disabilities. But there are still so many people who don't understand. Maybe they just can't understand what we face day after day. Or maybe they don't want to. Until someone has been in a caregiving position, they may not ever understand how emotionally, spiritually, and physically draining it can be. Of course, it's not like that every day all the time. But over time, it can be draining, to say the least. Each day we reinvent ourselves to do it again! why? Because of love. Sometimes, others' inability to empathize with our caregiving lifestyle feels isolating. It can drive us deeper into the aloneness that eats away. It's easy to feel like no one understands, no one...