Dear Diary: Touching Base

Hope you all had a great January. I wanted to touch base as it seems I dropped off of the face of the earth three weeks ago. As many as you know, I’ve moved back to my hometown with my parents just before Christmas.  Just let me say, it’s been a rough month. Mom gave us a scare and ended up in the hospital. She was seriously dehydrated and delirious and had to be taken by ambulance after she had a seizure.  Come to find out, she had a urinary tract infection which is something that wrecks havoc with dementia patients.  (Who knew?)  We brought her home last Tuesday. 

Although the dementia is increasing as the Alzheimer’s progresses, Mom’s doing well. It seems I’ve become the ‘Mom Whisperer' and can get through to her fairly easily - for now.  It’s amazing what will connect through the dementia and popcorn is one of them.  In the hospital in trying to tempt her to eat she asked for popcorn out of the blue and devoured a bowl full. Carrying that through we’ve been having popcorn breaks in the afternoons while watching the Food Channel.  Although the conversations are disjointed on her end, it’s been good. Mom was a spectacular cook so talking food and baking cheers her.  I’ll talk more about the conflicting emotions of being back in my mother’s kitchen later on

On to February, my birthday month. I’ll be fifty-eight this year. Fifty. Eight.  Two years away from sixty. Wow. More about that later.

I appreciate all of your good wishes and prayers. They make a difference knowing that someone is praying for you when you are too tired or stressed to pray yourself.  Thanks for hanging in there with me. You guys are the best!

God Bless. Have a great weekend!

Sunday Community: With My Whole Heart

With my whole heart have I sought thee:

 O let me not wander from thy commandments. 

Thy word have I hid in mine heart,

 that I might not sin against thee.

(Psalm 119 vs 10-11)

Worshiping with Deidra Riggs and The Sunday Community.
Come join us.

Five Minute Friday: See

Joining with Five Minute Friday sponsored by Lisa-Jo Baker. On each Friday, Lisa-Jo posts a one word prompt and for five minutes we join together as an international community to write what the prompt brings to mind. No rewrite, no editing just letting the words flow from our hearts.

Today's prompt is See. 

Five Minute Friday

In returning to live in my parents' house I could see clearly where my mom would need me. The effects of the disease  were visible and demanding of immediate and constant attention. I almost knew before hand what I would need to do for her. What I did not see was how much my dad needed me here as well. I could see him visibly relax as I took on those everyday tasks of getting mom out of bed, to take her meds or to eat that often turned into a battle of wills.  I can also see where he needs to me to help him see it is ok for almost 80 year old men to let go of some things like  trying to shovel the driveway after a 15 in snowfall.  I can also see now where God has been gracious to push me past my reluctance to return home because I cannot now think of any place else I’d rather be.

Recaptured: Winter Beauty

It's been almost 20 years since I was home in winter. 

I had forgotten how beautiful icicles outside of my bedroom window could be.

Recaptured. The appreciation of winter beauty..

Sunday Community: A Prayer for the New Year

create in me 

a clean heart,  o lord

 and renew a right spirit

 within me

(Psalm 51:10)

Worshiping with Deidra Riggs and The Sunday Community.
Come join us. 

Five Minute Friday: Fight

Joining with Five Minute Friday sponsored by Lisa-Jo Baker. On each Friday, Lisa-Jo posts a one word prompt and for five minutes we join together as an international community to write what the prompt brings to mind. No rewrite, no editing just letting the words flow from our hearts.
  

Today's prompt is Fight. 

Five Minute Friday

I know the fight confuses them and sometimes hurts them, sometimes deeply. They turn away from it, denying it, refusing it and she is left alone as she has demanded. But I wade into the fight because I understand it. I fight that same fight. I learned how from her. I know she is fighting to retain herself, to hold on to the last bits of her conscious self as it all slips away. Yes, she is angry, no she doesn’t want any help but pushing past, I help anyway because that’s what love does. That's what she taught me. Love jumps into the fight with you, helps you, protects you, even when you fight against the help, the protection. She doesn’t realize that I am not the enemy but that’s ok. I know. God knows. And because she taught me about God I know that one day when she is with Him, she will know too.

Recapture: To Begin Again

Every New Year brings with it the promise of being able to start anew and like everyone else, I look forward to the opportunity to begin again. Towards the end of each year, I take time to seek the Lord for direction for the upcoming new year and usually I receive the impression of a word or a phrase which will point me in a specific direction. The word for 2014 was Recapture.              

recapture: to catch again someone or something that has escaped; to gain control again of a place or position again after losing it; to experience again or bring back a feeling, quality, or situation             

Recapture: the opportunity to begin again. The meaning of the word speaks of being able to  ‘gain control again’ of things I’ve lost or given away either. A chance to bring to bear what I’ve learned in maturity in past situations I wish I had handled differently. It's going to be interesting and exciting to see how recapture plays out for me in 2014.

 If you had the opportunity what would you begin again in the upcoming year? Is there any thing that you would like to Recapture in 2014? Maybe you can. Let's talk about it.