Creating Memories to Last a Lifetime!


Hebrew 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
 
 Someone recently asked me at church if I travel. I explained that right now, my priorities are more focused on doing things with family, spending time with my dad, grandkids and going to visit family that live some distance away.

 I didn't feel envious of this person asking me this. Actually, she is probably one of the most humble people I've ever met. I think she was just making small talk, because I don't know her well. I think Christ has given me this peace and helps me to focus on what's truly important in my life.

 The funny thing is, traveling and vacationing seems very frivolous to me right now. We did that in the earlier years of our marriage, but it all seems superficial and being with family feels good. Thanks to Christ's blessing us with this extra time with Dad, we are creating memories, both for me and other generations of family, to last a lifetime!  Hebrew 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for He hath said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.
Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

I'm including You Tube Video clips on caregiving that I found interesting, inspirational, or might be helpful to others, but am not responsible for the content in the videos. Always check first with a physician before trying any suggestions mentioned.
Caregiving Tips Video:Family Responsibility in Caring for the Elderly
By:Angie Rosendahl, Holland Christian Psych, Developmental Issues Project via You Tube

Christ Has Provided Supportive Friends and Family



 I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20:35

I have been truly blessed by our wonderful family and friends that Christ has provided for us. They have been supportive about missing activities, dinners, outings, etc. when I needed to be there with Dad when he had another bout of pneumonia or some other malady.

These caring people never made me feel guilty for bowing out of our joint activity at the last moment. They weren't carrying some mental tally sheet that said I had missed far too many activities. They never made me feel that I had to make a choice between my ailing Dad and them. 

They have been there for moral support. They cut me slack when I need it and help me refocus when that's necessarily. I truly feel that I'm not the only one who has been blessed by having this extra time with Dad. It's also apparent in the wonderful things I see in those I care about. I have shewed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. Acts 20: 35  


Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

I'm including You Tube Video clips on caregiving that I found interesting, inspirational, or might be helpful to others, but am not responsible for the content in the videos. Always check first with a physician before trying any suggestions mentioned.

Caregiving Video: Supporting Elderly Parents, Caring for Aging Parents, Parents Growing Old
[Hear the perspective a variety of different children of aging parents.]
By: Cas Desilva via You Tube

Christ Gave Me the Idea to Try It Myself

The glory of young men is their strength: and beauty of old men is the gray head. Proverbs 20:29

Dad had just come back from a stay at the smaller hospital in his town. I could see the remnants under his thick thumbnail of some spaghetti he had eaten in the hospital. I've requested the podiatrist to trim that scarred nail when he comes to trim Dad's toenails, but that only minimally happens. I've previously asked others in the hospital to trim it, but no one feels competent to tackle that thick, scarred thumbnail.

The thing is, it was getting long and looked like Dad almost poked his eye when he was trying to remove the sleepy sand. (I looked up the technical term for sleepy sand and they called it Rheum.) I also didn't want him rubbing his eye with that thickened thumbnail with spaghetti under it.

Christ gave me the idea to try to cut it myself. I had to use the big clippers we had purchased that we kept in his dresser. I just slowly kept clipping away a little of the thick scarred portion of this nail, but eventually, it was at an acceptable length where I wasn't worried. I was always worried that I might hurt Dad, that the scarred part under his nail was sensitive with nerve endings that I might cut into, but that wasn't the case. Most likely, that's what the other people thought, as well. I'm glad it worked out, because now I can do it myself when I go see Dad each week. Yeah! The glory of young men is their strength: and beauty of old men is the gray head. Proverbs 20:29

Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

I'm including You Tube Video clips on caregiving that I found interesting, inspirational, or might be helpful to others, but am not responsible for the content in the videos. Always check first with a physician before trying any suggestions mentioned.

Caregiving Video: CNA Skill #14 Clean and Trim the Resident's Fingernails
By: CNA Christina, SacMed Training Video Tutorials via You Tube


 

His Health Wasn't As Bad as I Thought

The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. Proverbs 20:7

I had family with me when I went to visit Dad on Father's Day. Mostly, Dad seemed O.K. There were subtle things he said about his car that concerned me. He said something about his car being out front, (which would be in front of the Veteran's Home where he resides.) Dad had chosen to give his car to his grandson several years prior to that after they found that he had Macular Degeneration on top of his Parkinson's Disease.

After I explained that he had given the car to his grandson several years ago, he asked again about the car as if I hadn't said it. I got concerned that he either had a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) or was having another bout of pneumonia, both which disorient him and cloud his perception of things. Before I left, I asked if they would request that the doctor check Dad out the next time he came to the Veteran's Home.

Concerned, I called the Veteran's Home the next day and they told me that Dad was doing just fine. I was so surprised! In the past, Dad's being disoriented signaled that some type of medical issue was going on, but it seemed to not be the case this time. I was surprised, delighted, and puzzled all at once. Maybe Dad was just overly tired and wasn't thinking clearly when we saw him. Who knows? I am glad he's doing fine and I am glad we are blessed with this extra time we have with Dad. The just man walketh in his integrity: his children are blessed after him. Proverbs 20:7

Since these are examples of how I've applied these Bible verses to my experience, they may not reflect the whole meaning of the verse.

I'm including You Tube Video clips on caregiving that I found interesting, inspirational, or might be helpful to others, but am not responsible for the content in the videos. Always check first with a physician before trying any suggestions mentioned.

Caregiving Video: Tips for Taking Care of An Aging Parent
By:  Dr. Alicia Arbaje, abc, WMAR-TV.flv via You Tube
 
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