Waiting for Answers

It seems impossible that there is nothing much going on with Dean right now to report, but the truth is things are floating along pretty well, with just a few bumps in the road, but no major detours...

Until his chore provider found out she will need doctor's approval to continue his exercise regimen. He's been responding so well to her program, increasing and adding sets right and left, and getting stronger and healthier from it, I'm sure. He just is not capable of exercising without close supervision. He needs a personal trainer, and that's just the role she's been for him. But we have had to halt the exercise until this little piece of red tape gets tied up. Hopefully, not cut.

I'm also wondering about the need for reducing one of his medications again, due to some side effects. This possibility always has me on edge. Will he need something else to replace it? Or will he be able to function alright without it? Will we be able to exist with him without it or something else? Our home will seem like a pharmaceutical laboratory for awhile until these questions are answered.

This state of mental turmoil must be similar to what the angels feel concerning the outcome of our sinful planet. Will enough of us humans ever get our acts together and start responding to the salvation remedy, provided by our Creator God? Will we be able to function, living our lives solely for our Lord and Master? And will we and the angels learn to co-exist in the Kingdom being prepared for us all to enjoy?

Thankfully, God took the initiative in seeing that these questions will have answers. We'll just have to wait and see what the outcome looks like in that glorious Day of our Lord.

Flip-flops in December

It was with great pleasure that I turned Dean over to our daughter's care today for a few hours, in return for my watching the granddaughters last night, while their parents did some grocery shopping. It would give me a chance to get some shopping done as well.

I noticed when I took some trash out earlier that the weather was warm enough for my preferred footwear of flip-flops and the absence of coat, jacket, or sweater. Being the carefree soul that I am, I chose to wear the flip-flops while on my errands.What a great feeling to be so lightly attired, and in December, no less. I even left my hair down, just giving it a few strokes rather than twisting it up in my usual bun.

So I went dressed for the sixties, weather-wise. But didn't realize that the background music that played in the store while I shopped would be your classic oldie-goldies sixties variety also, with all the tunes I listened to as a teenager. I soon found myself mouthing the words, tapping and almost dancing to the music over the intercom, while I shopped for the items on my list.

Keep in mind that I was in no way a surfer girl or a hippie in my youth. But like most young people, I listened to the music of the times, and with such repetition that here I was, almost half a century later, remembering the words verbatim and enjoying the beat and rhythm of the tunes. They are embedded in my memory forever, even though I stopped listening to popular hits when I became a Christian in the seventies. What a scary thought that these songs are still with me.

With this in mind, I must be honest with myself. The only music worth listening to is the music that praises God and draws me closer to Him. Lord, help me avoid Satan's trap of worldly music whenever possible. Let me save my memory for you, Lord. For music that uplifts You and is fit for the ears of angelic choir members.

The "Stranger"

As a rule, Dean is very friendly with strangers, but today when he began conversing with a young man who came into the doctor's waiting room, Dean talked to him as if they knew each other. To my knowledge, they had never met, and although the "stranger" was polite and responsive, it appeared that he really didn't know Dean. They both carried on a quite lively conversation though.

When we got to the examining room to see the doctor, Dean told me privately that he thought he knew the "stranger" somewhere. He was sure of it, but he didn't know where. To Dean, it didn't really matter. Almost everyone enjoys Dean's friendly banter, because he really doesn't know any strangers. Never has.

For Dean, the Bible admonition to beware, lest we find ourselves entertaining strangers unawares, hold no threat. How easy our witnessing would be if we could all be so friendly with those we meet.

"Timberrrr!"

There were a couple of highlights in my day. The first was when I had to rush outside in my bare feet to prevent Dean from going out to get the mail in his underwear this morning. Our new mailman comes unusually early now. Didn't realize how many acorns there were on the driveway till I found myself trying to avoid them in my bare feet.

Then this afternoon when we went to get some new eyeglasses for Dean (we've been looking over a month for the ones he lost), he almost fell once by not clearing the receptionist's desk enough, and then he actually did fall when he was about to sit in a chair to get fitted for glasses. I'm talking about a full sprawled-out-his-whole-length-on-the-floor kind of fall. Fortunately, he didn't hit any dangerous objects coming down and wasn't hurt, but getting him back up was the hard part. It took three women staff members to do the trick.

He falls so slowly, like in slow motion. Reminds me of the big trees that he used to fell when he logged in the mountains of Montana when we were young. One is almost tempted to shout "timber" before he actually lands.

Even though his angels didn't bear him up today in their hands (Psalm 91), they did send plenty of human "angels" to get him up off the floor. And that's what the good Lord does for all of us. We can count on Him to get us back up when we fall into sin. No matter what kind of fall it is. And no matter what kind of sin.

Fitting In

I had to make a trip to our neighborhood senior center today to sign up for fresh, local produce coupons at farmers' markets this summer. I've done this for several years now and each time I feel so young, compared to the other seniors when I go in there to apply. It's not a pleasant thought to know that I'm the one who qualifies as the senior citizen now, and not just my husband. He's five years older than I am. I don't have to apply for him as his proxy any more. But I still feel uncomfortable just the same.

Feeling out of place like that made me think of heaven. I've heard it said that everyone will go to heaven...everyone who would be happy there. Hopefully, I wouldn't feel out of place or uncomfortable in heaven. That's what our preparation is for here on earth. Living the Christian lifestyle doesn't just make us good witnesses to those around us. It is also our practice for the kind of living that happens in our heavenly home.

The sensual pleasures and worldly entertainment we enjoy here on earth will not be found in heaven. Would I be bored there? How will I fit in? How can I find joy in the presence of angels, if my actions here make them veil their faces? I pray the Lord shows me now what "things" I can and cannot take with me when I enter that glorious land. I really do want to fit in.

Beautiful Feet

"These boots are NOT made for walking" is the new song title I'm singing today. The nurse told me the fracture on my foot was confirmed. I'm to use the "boot" and get X-rays again in four weeks. Sounds simple, but she had no idea what she was asking. I tried to put some weight on the foot with the boot and it HURTS. So I'm back to hopping with the walker for awhile, I guess. The foot is still swollen and bruised and it's been over a week. What's a body to do? What if my foot never heals correctly?

This reminds me of the consequences of sin. Just like falling on my foot, we often stumble into sin, injure ourselves, and require lots of healing time. God doesn't always provide an instant healing, and we can't count on being relieved of the consequences of our bad choices overnight. All we can do is be patient and wait for the Lord to work things out. It's hard for us humans to do that sometimes.

Think of the angels. They've been waiting for thousands of years for our earth to be made whole again. They must trust that God will make it all right in the end. I guess I'll have to do the same with my foot. God has a plan for me. And I'm sure it requires me to have two working feet. As ugly as one of them is right now, I remember the verse that says "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings..." Somewhere there is beauty in this ugly, swollen foot.

Angels in the Room

All morning I fretted about what to say to my sister-in-law after the tragic death of Dean's brother yesterday. Words just can't convey the heartache she must be going through. And I truly didn't know what I could say that would bring her any comfort. There was no answer when I dialed her number, and I could only leave a message on her cell. I thought I was getting off the hook, at least for a short while.

Then Dean came home from his day program and after a short discussion about his brother, he wanted to call Roseanne. I was hesitant, because Dean's dementia can make him ramble on a bit long, and I didn't know if Roseanne could handle that. But I was amazed when he called, at how he said just the right things at all the right times to her, and he even asked if he could have prayer with her. She not only agreed, but said she was putting him on speaker phone so all the family there could hear him. As nervous as I was with this arrangement, Dean led an impeccably perfect prayer. I felt there were angels in the room, with wings that reached all the way to Idaho on phone wires.

Although he admits to not shedding tears himself over the loss of his only brother, God used him to comfort a grieving widow today. His emotions may not be intact, but his empathy is alive and well. I will treasure his words for a time when I may be that grieving widow.

Ring-a-round-a-rosy

What a joy to watch our two granddaughters learn to play a simple game like "Ring-a-round-a-rosy" this week. Jenna is three, so she was teaching her one-year-old sister Julia how to play the game. She was following along pretty well with walking in a circle while Jenna sang the song.

Of course, when it got to the part about "all fall down" Jenna forcibly brought her sister down with her as she tumbled to the floor, both of them all smiles and giggles, with onlooking adults applauding. Julia had resisted enough though that the second time around, Jenna got on top of little sister to make her go down. By the third time, little Julia had it all figured out, so before they even got to the words "all fall down" she fell to the ground all on her own. What a smart little girl!

In a similar fashion, as we learn about life, the Lord sometimes has to make us "fall down". It's just part of the game of life. It's eventually easier for us when we learn how to fall and to see when the fall is coming. You have to listen to the words of the song though. Let's listen and follow the directions of our Lord. Life will be so much easier if we do. And the angels will watch and applaud our efforts.

Falling...again

One more day till my husband gets his foot X-rayed again to see if his foot fractures have healed enough to take the "boot" off. We have waited months for them to heal, so needless to say, I was mortified when he fell again today in a store!

Fortunately, he didn't appear to be injured this time, even though he went totally down to the floor and needed some help to get back up. Many times he has fallen and not gotten hurt. I think he just knows how to land well. He goes down so gracefully. Heaven knows he's had lots of practice with falling down during his wild, barroom days. It's the only explanation I can come up with, except that there are also angels orchestrating his downward spirals and cushioning his tumbles.

Psalm 91:11 and 12 says "For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways, They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone." Yes, I do believe he fell into the arms of some angels today. We'll have to watch out more for those "stones".