Yes, this is for real.

 

http://mim.io/e06972

 

Peace,

Carol

 

 

Twitter and FB friends -- I am sharing from my blog because I don't think this should wait until Sunday to share. As a caregiver for my mother who is not terminally ill, but is old, suffers from chronic arthritis pain and has short-term memory issues, it is important to remember our friends and family who care for and must make arrangements for the care of their loved ones so that they can "take a break". I have friends who have parents who are growing into the same situation.

 

My outlet is going to Third Day Concerts and sometimes other to see other artists. I would go to more but I must make arrangements for my mother to be cared for when I am out of town. I appreciate those who step in to be there for her so I can enjoy some "time off".

 

 

Carol

 

 

March 5, 2012 Caring for the Overlooked LeAnn Rice

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Galatians 6:2 (NIV)

I can count on my fingers the number of times I showered during the last couple of months of Ron’s life. My husband was confined to a hospital bed in our living room, and hooked up to a morphine drip that he’d try to pull out of his arm when he’d wake disoriented. And we had a three-year-old little boy who liked to toss things into the toilet bowl and stir them around. I couldn’t take my eyes off of either one of them.

But I needed to bathe and brush my teeth. I had groceries to purchase, mouths to feed, bills to pay and trash to take to the curb. Several times throughout the day, I needed to go to the bathroom. I depended on others to help me “carry” all these things.

Once a week, a Hospice volunteer sat with Ron so I could take a shower and a nap. My mother and sister-in-law picked Nick up a couple of times a week so he didn’t witness things with his dad that a toddler shouldn’t see. There were occasional visits from friends and other family members, but most kept away because it was too difficult for them to see their beloved Ron deteriorate so quickly.

I understood. Really, I did.

But it was hard.

I felt alone and helpless.

Hungry and tired and dirty.

And I was watching the love of my life die a little more each day.

I wouldn’t trade those final days with Ron for anything in the world. I would not have wanted (or allowed) anyone else to care for him. Love gave me strength and God carried me when I had no energy left. Yet, while the role of caregiver is one I cherished, it was filled with so many challenges and hardships.

Do you know someone who is caring for a chronically or terminally-ill loved one, an elderly parent or a young child?

As today’s verse in Galatians tells us, we are called to be compassionate, to love, and to carry each other’s burdens. When we do these things in His Name, we demonstrate His love to others. It is our responsibility as Christians. And it’s our privilege.

From a heart that has been there, may I encourage you? Don’t overlook the caregiver. Love on them. Encourage them. And be the hands of Christ, helping carry their burdens, in the midst of their weariness.

Dear Lord, please give me Your eyes to see the struggling caregivers around me. Strengthen and equip me to help carry their burdens. Help me to see when help is needed and when I would be more of a burden than a help. Show me tangible ways that I can make a difference, bring encouragement, and share Your love. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know the Greatest Comforter?

Words of Comfort for Times of Loss by Cecil Murphy and Liz Allison

For more encouragement from LeAnn, stop by She Cooks or visit her and her team at A Widow’s Might.

Reflect and Respond:
Is there someone in your life, at work, or in your church that is currently the primary or only caregiver for someone? Let them know that you are praying for them and that they matter.

Offer your assistance. If they are hesitant to accept, find practical ways to help like bringing groceries or stopping by with a hot meal and laundry detergent. Do a load of laundry. If they have children, offer to take them to the park or on a play date with your kids.

Power Verse:
John 13:34, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (NIV 1984)

© 2012 by LeAnn Rice. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
www.Proverbs31.org

For the past 2 years and again this year I am giving up FB and Twitter for Lent. Some of my friends do not understand why so I will try to explain. It's not about you, it's about me. I need to spend more time in the Word. I currently spend a lot of time online. I check FB and Twitter while I am drinking my morning coffee and while I am eating breakfast, during my morning break, lunchtime, afternoon break, dinnertime and while watching tv at night. That is a little much! Eventhough it's short spurts throughout the day, it adds up. I need to read scripture in the morning, read some of the books I have boughten and not read in the evenings, and not procrastinate to get my homework done in time.

 

Fasting from social media puts me back in check -- gives me back to my family, gives me time to meditate on God. The day only has 24 hours in it and I can't make it squeeze out more so I have to make the best of what I have. Since I pretty much suck at organization, I have to sacrifice one thing to do another instead of do a little bit of each. You'd have to be me to understand but for me it works.

 

So please do not take it personally when I am not available to chat. I'll be by on Sundays when we are allowed to break the fast for the Lord's Day. In the meantime, pray that my time away is fruitful and that God uses it for great things! If something important happens or needs to be addressed, please email me or text me.

 

Peace,

Carol

It comes and goes in waves. Sometimes I can look back lovingly and sometimes my heart just breaks. On Oct 31, 2004 I brought home a shy, un-socialized purebred rough collie named Blue from the kennel where he was born and stayed until we bought him. He was a challenge from the start. Afraid of everything -- even the rustling of the newspaper when my mother changed pages! He was special for sure. We went to obedience school -- I always joked we arrived on the short bus! We repeated intermediate obedience several times. Mostly to continue his socialization - not because he was dumb by any means. The most handsome little man in the class. Eventually he settled in and became our early warning signal to everything from trash that blew by the fence to someone coming home 3 houses down the street! Mom felt very safe with our gentle giant in the house. He was so loving. He'd get in your face if he wanted to be petted and if you stopped before he wanted you to, he would nose your hand letting you know you weren't done yet!

 

This past Saturday at the ripe old age of 7, he became acutely ill and passed away. I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye before he went as I was driving him to the Animal Urgent Care when he died. I miss him terribly and I worry for my mother who is 90 and has no interaction all day except for what she got from Bleu (yes we changed the spelling of his name but it remained Blue). His AKC registered name was Karizma's Blue Braveheart and he earned his Canine Good Citizens Award as well as passing the Therapy Dog Certification but I never sent in the paperwork to get his license. He had to be on a standard buckle collar instead of a choke chain and I was afraid of him running away in a strange environment like a hospital. (He slipped his buckle collar once and I had a hard time catching him)  So I decided not to persue it.

 

I am looking for another dog, not to replace him but to fill the void my mother and I feel by not having a fur-friend in the house. Please pray that God leads me to the perfect dog very soon. I am looking into a Lab Rescue. They have several adult labs that need a forever home. If you ever want a dog that is the most loving, beautiful, even tempered dog, get a collie.

 

Neither mom nor I feel much like Cards and decorations so if you do not hear from us, don't take it personal. Earlier today I got an email with the Third Day spring tour schedule and was happy. That has since wore off. Someone wrote once that God gave us pets to show us what unconditional love was and that they could only stay with us for a little while. I sure hope there are dogs in heaven.

 

See you at Rainbow Bridge Baby Bleu.....

A Politically Correct Christmas Poem

 

Twas the night before Christmas and Santa's a wreck...

How to live in a world that's politically correct?

His workers no longer would answer to "Elves",

"Vertically Challenged" they were calling themselves.

And labor conditions at the North Pole,

were alleged by the union, to stifle the soul.

 

Four reindeer had vanished without much propriety,

released to the wilds, by the Humane Society.

And equal employment had made it quite clear,

that Santa had better not use just reindeer.

So Dancer and Donner, Comet and Cupid,

were replaced with 4 pigs, and you know that looked stupid!

 

The runners had been removed from his beautiful sleigh,

because the ruts were deemed dangerous by the EPA,

And millions of people were calling the Cops,

when they heard sled noises upon their roof tops.

Second-hand smoke from his pipe, had his workers quite frightened,

and his fur trimmed red suit was called "unenlightened".

 

To show you the strangeness of today's ebbs and flows,

Rudolf was suing over unauthorized use of his nose.

He went to Geraldo, in front of the Nation,

demanding millions in over-due workers compensation.

 

So...half of the reindeer were gone,

and his wife who suddenly said she'd had enough of this life,

 joined a self help group, packed and left in a whiz,

demanding from now on that her title was Ms.

 

And as for gifts...why, he'd never had the notion that making a choice

could cause such commotion.

Nothing of leather, nothing of fur...

Which meant nothing for him or nothing for her.

 

Nothing to aim, Nothing to shoot,

Nothing that clamored or made lots of noise.

Nothing for just girls and nothing for just boys.

Nothing that claimed to be gender specific,

Nothing that's warlike or non-pacifistic.

 

No candy or sweets...they were bad for the tooth.

Nothing that seemed to embellish upon the truth.

And fairy tales...while not yet forbidden,

were like Ken and Barbie, better off hidden,

for they raised the hackles of those psychological,

who claimed the only good gift was one ecological.

 

No baseball, no football...someone might get hurt,

besides - playing sports exposed kids to dirt.

Dolls were said to be sexist and should be passe.

and Nintendo would rot your entire brain away.

 

So Santa just stood there, disheveled and perplexed,

he just couldn't figure out what to do next?

He tried to be merry he tried to be gay,

but you must have to admit he was having a very bad day.

His sack was quite empty, it was flat on the ground,

nothing fully acceptable was anywhere to be found.

 

Something special was needed, a gift that he might,

give to us all, without angering the left or the right.

A gift that would satisfy - with no indecision, each group

of people in every religion.

Every race, every hue,

everyone, everywhere...even you!

 

So here is that gift, it's price beyond worth...

 

"MAY YOU AND YOUR LOVED ONES, ENJOY PEACE ON EARTH"

As most of you who know me, know that I am the Adult Child of an Alcoholic. That means I was raised in a home with an alcoholic parent and it altered the way I was raised in that what I believe and trust to be the truth aren't necessarily correct. Similar to anyone raised in a really disfunctional family. I lived on eggshells wondering which thing I did or said, or didn't do was going to set off the next rant. I had no siblings living at home so no one to share the blame with. It was my fault whether I did it or not. I was afraid to bring friends home because I never knew what embarrassing thing was going to come out of my father's mouth. His idea of funny when he was drinking (which was all the time) was not exactly comedic relief! Anywho, I say this to say what I really came here for.

 

Since I had no one to confide in and did not know that parents were supposed to nuture, I found solice in food. That is the one thing my mother enjoyed doing and I was more than happy to oblige her affection through the wonderful meals and especially the desserts she made us. Everyone knows the expression "comfort food". It's a proven fact that some foods release endorphins in the brain which are the "feel good" chemicals that drug addicts seek when they do their thing. Food is my drug of choice. So I have been battling this all my life. A year & 1/2 ago I entered the Bariatric program at the Army Hospital. I went through 3 months prep classes and evals and in May of last year I had Gastric Bypass surgery. Now for those of you who know this is not a cure all. It is just a tool - a very extreme tool but a tool nevertheless. It is not going to work without your cooperation.

 

I lost 90 lbs. But now I'm stuck. I am afraid to feel my emotions so I have gone back to eating them into submission. The evil one has done a good job of making me believe that I cannot handle my emotions and that I should keep them at bay. I need to get the last 40 lbs off so I can be healthy! I tell everyone else to trust Jesus but I don't do it myself. I so need prayer to be able to conquer this. Like the Israelites, I go around the mountain instead of pressing through it. I know that in my weakness He is strong but I'm not feeling it. Holy Spirit please help me! Need motivation. Please pray with me that the motivation comes soon.

 

Thanks.

The coolest thing happened in Church yesterday. I prayed for a long time before Mass. I'm not sure I remember exactly what I prayed about but I do know I asked for graces to improve my circumstances where I was not trusting Jesus as I should. During Mass, the Priest calls all the children 4 years to 12 years up front to receive a blessing and then they depart to another part of the church to hear the Gospel and learn on their level while we hear the readings and the Gospel and Homily from the pulpit. While the children are processing out of the church, the choir sings "Jesus Loves the Little Children" by Ray Stevens. That song is like fingernails on a chalkboard to me -- don't ask me why. So I don't sing along and I just smile at the children as they go by. Yesterday, I found myself singing! I didn't even know I was singing at first!! Once I became conscious that I was singing, I was aware that I didn't despise the song anymore and was actually glad to be singing it. Now if that's not a Jesus moment -- what is?! TYJ for giving me those "a-ha" moments where I can see you at work in my life. Peace,
Carol