I woke up this morning with a bad headache. Could be all that holiday eating finally caught up with me. Could be stress. Could be both. I was grateful that my mom napped twice during the day. I have learned that when I’m tired, I need to lay down when she does. So I did and was happy to get some rest. I ended up not eating much during the day, then feeling good enough to have dinner. I am grateful again to go to bed early.
I Found God today resting and going to bed early.
I visited a friend today who I hadn’t seen in too long. Her husband recently passed away, so we cried together and prayed together. But we also laughed together. I am so grateful for our deep friendship. Before I left, she gave me a mug with the scripture Phillipians 4:13, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” She was so thoughtful. It is funny how this scripture pops up to me often.
I Found God today in a blessed friendship.
It was colder than cold today. The temperature was below zero, even colder with the wind whipping and the snow. Our friend decided not to come over today, which was a wise choice. We stayed in and layered up. I was surprised when Mom saw someone coming to the door. Sure enough, it was one of the neighbors. She dropped off her infamous Irish Soda Bread. It was a welcomed unexpected treat.
I Found God today in a surprise sweet treat.
I saw a quote from TobyMac today that moved my heart, “Train your mind to hear what God whispers and not what the enemy may be shouting.” I also heard a beautiful reflection the other day saying that my past sins are like grains of sand compared to the mountain that is God. These two thoughts reminded me that God is so much more than I can even imagine and that He wants nothing but good for me. When I ask for forgiveness for my past faults and failures, they are meaningless. I then have the opportunity to move forward. I need to ignore those voices that tell me I’m not worthy or good enough because I make mistakes. I appreciated these positive affirmations.
I Found God today remembering His power and love.
I wanted to make a trip up to the cabin today to make sure all was well before the winter cold sets in. My grandson volunteered to come with me. He brought his new camera with him and told me all about it. It is quite different from any other camera I have had experience with. The temperature was in the single digits when we left, but as we kept climbing in altitude, we watched it rise. However, the warmer air brought with it extreme wind. It was blowing the snow on the ground across the road and at times it was hard to see where the lanes were. The cabin was in good shape and just needed a couple things changed. That was a blessing. We went into town for lunch and since my grandson recently turned 21, we played a few slot machines in the casino. We took a different route home that offered some very nice views of the mountain ranges. I pulled over every now and again so my grandson could take some pictures. He braved the wind to get the shots he had envisioned. Thankfully, the roads weren’t as bad as I had anticipated. As we drove down the mountain pass, we watched the temperature plummet. But at the same time the wind calmed down. It was an interesting and fun day with my grandson.
I Found God today spending time with my grandson.
We had a woman come clean the house today. She was German and asked my mother if she was German too. My mom said she was and the woman said a couple things to her in German. My mom actually grew up speaking English and German. It took her a little while to process, but my mom understood what she said and tried to answer back. We got out my mom’s genealogy book that she and my sister put together many years ago. We talked about where her parents were from and their journey on the ship to come to America. My mom and the housekeeper shared a common history. I thought it was really thoughtful of the woman to engage my mom in that way.
I Found God today as my mom’s old memories were brought to life.
My mom woke up this morning with energy after a long night’s sleep. She even exercised before breakfast. Instead of using the wheelchair, she used her walker to get around all day long. The new caregiver was here and she commented on what a nice and beautiful girl she was. My sister’s boss stopped by and my mom said what a nice young man he was. My son called and my mom actually chatted with him. She was joyful, happy, and even funny. It has been a very long time since my mom has had such a good day all day long like that. We all enjoyed it with her and I was very grateful.
I Found God today enjoying a good day with my mom.
Our new nurse/friend/caregiver came for her first shift this afternoon. When she arrived, my mom was napping in her room, so we chatted for a bit in the living room. After a while, mom rang her bell which meant she was awake and ready to get up. I asked our friend to allow me to get mom up and tell her that she was there. After I put my mom’s hearing aids I was able to talk with her. But she surprised me by saying that she had to go to the bathroom and we should ask the nurse who was in the living room. I was shocked. This wasn’t the first time my mom has done or said something like this. I truly believe that part of her is in this world and part of her is in the world beyond. Things worked out so well with the new caregiver this afternoon. I am feeling very blessed.
I Found God today contemplating the world beyond.
A friend sent me an encouraging note today. It was more of a prayer and blessing. Part of it read, “Blessed are the caregivers. Surely they will be given uncommon strength through the touch of an angel’s wings.” I loved that image. I certainly could use uncommon strength AND a reminder that we are in the company of angels.
I Found God today in a beautiful image of an angel with me.
The other day I heard a reflection about our ability to begin again. Every night we have the opportunity to review our day and hand it all to God in prayer, asking forgiveness for our wrongs. At the wakening of each new day, we are able to start fresh and live the day for what it brings, doing our best to keep close to God as we go. Ironically, beginning again is prevalent in dementia and can actually be a blessing. Today my mom and I had a very challenging event. I won’t elaborate, but it included a bathroom accident that resulted in a need to get mom in the shower. I admittedly wasn’t very calm and that upset my mother. I apologized and got her settled into bed for a nap once she was all clean. When she got up, it was as though nothing had happened and we had a relatively quiet afternoon. I was very grateful for that grace.
I Found God today beginning again.
Still Finding God 