Caregiver

I am currently working more than full time as a caregiver and I love what I do.  Presently I am caring for a sweet Italian couple.
As I sit with my little Italian couple I am amazed at the lessons God is teaching me.  Lessons about life, about love, about death, and about the human spirit. I first came to take care of her, and now three months later his 86-year old heart is failing him.  Even as his body is failing, he keeps going on.  He sings.  He sits with his wife of 60 years and they hold hands. 
His steps are slow now, but he still forces himself.  He speaks Italian with his wife and son, and English with me - with a heavy Italian accent.  I am learning a few Italian words.  I am singing his songs.  I watch him as he sits alone outside.  I know he knows he will be meeting Jesus soon.  That is one of our early conversations - about Jesus. 
I watch him kiss his wife goodnight - no longer do they get to sleep in the same bed.  She in a hospital bed, he in their bed, in the same room. I hear them sometimes speaking softly to each other.  Their love for each other is truly a testament of who they are, and whose they are.  They are God's. 
Their medical issues might get them down some days, but then they smile at each other and life is good, if only for a moment. 
As I am writing this it is a Sunday morning.  They no longer go to church - but we talk of faith. He says he is not afraid to die - he is going to heaven.  This day he asked me if I am going to church.  I tell him today is my day to spend with them.  As I watch them, I know I am in church.  God has truly filled me to the brim with love for this family.  I am truly on sacred ground.  I don't need to be in the building that houses my church today.  I am right where I am supposed to be.

Worship

          “Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.”

                   Psalm 63:3

          Why do you worship God?  Do you worship Him out of the overflow of love for Him?  Do you worship Him because that is just what you think you are supposed to do?  Do you worship Him because others around you are doing it?

          True worship should come from the depths of your soul.  Recently we went to a funeral of a friend who died too young.  Our hearts were selfishly sad that he was no longer with us.  This service was the most unusual I had ever been to.  The Praise and Worship band was playing, singing, and worshiping God.  Song after song led me into a deep worship of the goodness of God so deep that the tears for the loss of our friend turned into sheer joy for the sake of worshipping the God who created us.  It was a very moving experience. 

          Find what works to help you worship God in such a way.  For me it is music.  For my friend, it is the beach.  For others, it is reading the Bible and focusing on God.  Abandon yourself to worship Him today.

No More Complaints

          “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.”  Philippians 4:11

          I am daily learning an important visual lesson about complaining.  After reading a book recently, my friend and I decided to take a challenge of no complaining for 21 days.  We have a bracelet that says “Gripes Be Gone” and every time we complain we have to switch it to the other arm.  You might think it is easy, but really, not so much. 

          Paul really learned to be content in any circumstance he was in, and he was in quite a few trials.  He did not need a daily visual reminder, but I am thankful for it, because while I am usually a positive person overall, I have been more aware of the little things I complain about that really should not be part of my speech. 

          I am thankful that God prompts us to learn these daily lessons and work on how we relate to Him as well as others around us. 

          Today, listen to your words as you speak them.  Are they honoring or complaining?  Be content no matter what.

A Mother's Love

     How could she know she would only have sixteen years with him?  We sometimes say the phrase, "Life is short" in too casual a way, not really meaning it.  And then tragedy strikes.  Can you ever be ready?  She wasn't. 
     Two weeks after he turned 16, a tragic accident took her oldest child from her. There are no words.  Just immense pain.  How do you go on?  How do you survive? 
     She had him at a young age.  She said they grew up together.  And now she was going on with life without him.  She had to.  She has another son counting on her.  She got counseling.  She went to grief counseling.  Though he is never far from her thoughts, she has learned to move on.  Most important, she has learned to rely on God for the strength only He can give.
     He would be twenty tommorrow.  Memories come flashing back.  She is surrounded by family and friends who love her, but most important, she is surrounded by God, who sees her through the darkness into the light.

A Life Well Lived

This blog has been rolling around in my brain for almost two weeks.  Too long.  A dear friend passed away at the age of  90 two weeks ago.  She mentored me as a young mom.  She showed me how to pray.  She walked her walk.  She was a strong, godly woman. 
When I heard the news of her passing my first thought was "A life well lived".  I don't remember a cross word come from her.  I watched her live life full of joy and love.  Her granddaughters and my daughters are close to the same age.  We all attended church together and my daughters remember her as their Sunday School teacher as well as being at all of the softball games. 
Sixteen years ago she had a stroke.  She struggled to get her speech back.  She moved in with her daughter.  At that time I had a cleaning service and that was one of the houses I cleaned.  I had the privilege several times to watch mother and daughter have devotional time.  Precious memories.  Although wheel-chair bound, her mind was sharp.  She never had a bad attitude.  She could still talk, read, and pray.  She still went to church every Sunday. 
Her granddaughter spoke at her funeral about the wonderful influence her grandmother had on her life and her sister's life. 
God is truly amazing the way He brings people into our lives to teach us how to live and how to love.  Helen Nash was truly a gift from God and we will miss her until we see her again in Heaven.  She lived her life well!

An Overflowing Heart (And a She Speaks Scholorship)

I am teaching a Bible Study on Tuesday mornings.  I am writing it weakly and living it at the same time.  The title - "Journey of Faith".  I feel stretched far beyond my comfort zone, but at the same time, feel such overflowing peace and joy as I write in obedience to God's call on my life. 
Yesterday's lesson was on how patience and faith go together.  We focussed our attention on 1Thessalonians 5:12-18. Verse 16 says, "Be joyful always."  One young mom shared how hard that has been as a single mom pulled in so many directions.  I can relate a bit with that.  It feels hard to have joy sometimes in the midst of a trial.  So what do you do?  How do you combat a joyless life when God is calling you to be joyful always?  I suggested to the ladies to keep a gratitude journal.  This has helped me in my faith journey to be joyful about the smallest of things.  Like finding my keys.  Like watching my granddaughter look at ants in fascination.  Like hearing the birds sing in the middle of the night. (Ok, so that is another whole story for another time.)
Let God show you today how to have an overflowing heart of joy always.

She Speaks Conference is about women connecting the hearts of women to the heart of our Father God and that your heart is to serve Him and His daughters, as He leads.

I am linking this post to two others today - Ann's (where a scholarship is being offered) and the She Speaks Conference website. It is a conference about "women connecting the hearts of women to the heart of our Father God".  I am passionate about bringing Women closer to God.  This is anothe way to live my passion.

Legacy

I love watching my daughters in action.  They both have good hearts. We were in McKinney recently visiting our oldest daughter Amy and her husband Trey and our precious granddaughter Lauren.  We had our other precious granddaughter Avril with us.  We were at the park and my daughter met a young woman with a toddler.  She made an instant connection and invited her to another child activity the next day.  This young women was new to the area and needed a little encouragement.
My heart was happy as I watched my daughter reach out to others. I started thinking about the strong women in my life and I remember my grandmothers reaching out to others, and my mom reaching out to others, helping when somebody needs a helping hand.
I have always been a people person and as I grew in my Faith walk I wanted to teach my children the same.  I taught them to look for the opportunity to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
My daughter Melissa does that also. She reaches out to others with words of encouragement and acts of kindness.  Both of my girls call with prayer requests for their friends.
 Sometimes when your children grow up they don't always want to be like you.  I remember the day I realized I was like my mom.  And now I treasure the Legacy of being like my mom, and watching my girls grow into godly women. 
I treasure the opportunity to watch them encourage their daughters to have a good heart like them.