This is the third week that Dean hasn't felt up to attending his adult day program, which he normally goes to on Tuesdays and Fridays. He's not been sleeping so good at night, but makes up for it during the day. It seems to be related to his high blood pressure readings during the night though, so I have hopes of resolving this issue someday with medication adjustments.
Just to get him out of the house this morning, I suggested that we go to the grocery store that his day program goes to once a month. They have a sit-down cafeteria there and it's nice for the clients, Dean's friends for years now, to associate with some of the regular customers there.
They were all happy to see Dean and see how he's been doing. And they are always happy to see me. Evidently Dean has told them so much what an angel I am, that they have come to actually believe it. I get a lot of good affirmation from that crowd. Even though we have had little interaction over the years, they act like I'm their best friend.
This reminded me that through our praise of Jesus, we can actually make Him feel close to others too. They can come to appreciate Him as much as we do. The nicest praise we receive is that given when we aren't around to hear it. In other words, it's important to praise Him everywhere, not just in church.
Showing posts with label praise. Show all posts
Showing posts with label praise. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Monday, December 10, 2012
Sleep at Last
Dean finally got a full night's sleep last night. But it wouldn't have happened had I not called the home health agency and had the on-call nurse come to check him out yesterday. Hated to do it on the weekend, but in addition to sleeplessness, he has been having a lot of mental confusion.
The nurse checked his vitals and after getting the doctor paged, we were instructed to reinstate the medicine that we were trying to get him off of. I know. None of it makes sense, but we will see him in his office this Friday, so perhaps we'll solve this dilemma by then. I'm just happy that he is finally getting some much needed sleep.
The nurse did have some good affirmation for me though. She said when she talked to our regular nurse on the phone before coming over, she was told that she'd better stop for a visit, because I wouldn't have called unless there was a good reason. It was nice to hear that I'm taken seriously when it comes to Dean's care.
I try to stay on top of things, but haven't always been successful in the past. That's why I know that God is really the one to get credit for anything good that comes from my decisions. God is the One we should all take seriously. When He says come, we should go.
The nurse checked his vitals and after getting the doctor paged, we were instructed to reinstate the medicine that we were trying to get him off of. I know. None of it makes sense, but we will see him in his office this Friday, so perhaps we'll solve this dilemma by then. I'm just happy that he is finally getting some much needed sleep.
The nurse did have some good affirmation for me though. She said when she talked to our regular nurse on the phone before coming over, she was told that she'd better stop for a visit, because I wouldn't have called unless there was a good reason. It was nice to hear that I'm taken seriously when it comes to Dean's care.
I try to stay on top of things, but haven't always been successful in the past. That's why I know that God is really the one to get credit for anything good that comes from my decisions. God is the One we should all take seriously. When He says come, we should go.
Sunday, December 2, 2012
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.
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.
Monday, November 12, 2012
"Wolverton Mountain"
Dean seems to be doing more repetitive singing these days. He gets stuck on one song and sings it night and day. And with much gusto, I might add.
I was getting pretty tired of one song on his repertoire of late. It's called "Wolverton Mountain", an old country song that some of you might remember was popular several decades ago. It's about a beautiful, young girl who lived on Wolverton Mountain, secure from all suitors by an overprotective father. Dean has taken the liberty of substituting the father's name for MY father's name, and so it dawned on me that I was the "pretty, young girl". Instead of being annoyed and irritable about hearing the same song over and over, I began listening to it with more interested ears. It was nice to be the object of his affectionate singing.
Then I realized that God must enjoy our songs about Him too, no matter how frequently and in-eloquently performed. So, when Dean changes his singing to one of his hymns, I can understand God's enjoyment, and allow Him the same "I am loved" feeling I have when Dean sings about me.
If God loves Dean's singing, then who am I to not enjoy it too. Sing on, ol' man!
I was getting pretty tired of one song on his repertoire of late. It's called "Wolverton Mountain", an old country song that some of you might remember was popular several decades ago. It's about a beautiful, young girl who lived on Wolverton Mountain, secure from all suitors by an overprotective father. Dean has taken the liberty of substituting the father's name for MY father's name, and so it dawned on me that I was the "pretty, young girl". Instead of being annoyed and irritable about hearing the same song over and over, I began listening to it with more interested ears. It was nice to be the object of his affectionate singing.
Then I realized that God must enjoy our songs about Him too, no matter how frequently and in-eloquently performed. So, when Dean changes his singing to one of his hymns, I can understand God's enjoyment, and allow Him the same "I am loved" feeling I have when Dean sings about me.
If God loves Dean's singing, then who am I to not enjoy it too. Sing on, ol' man!
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
The Royal Treatment
The highlight of my day was grocery shopping with my daughter and her two little girls. One of them, Jenna, age 3, had two pigtails today, and with her blonde, curly hair, she reminded me of Ellie Mae on The Beverly Hillbillies. My injured foot required me to use a motorized cart, so Jenna stationed herself by my cart so she could retrieve the items from the shelf and put them in my basket. Julia, the one-year-old, entertained me with her latest word--the sound of a rooster, "cocka-do". Then, of course, Kayla, my daughter, did all the bagging and loading of groceries into the car. I felt like a queen with my three beautiful ladies-in-waiting. It was worth hurting my foot to get this kind of royal treatment.
Perhaps this is why the Lord is so anxious for us to get to heaven. He's preparing a place for us there, and I get the impression that it will be a place fit for a king. He knows we have been through a lot on this planet of sin. He will do all He can to make up for what we have suffered. And all that suffering will require some pretty grand royal treatment.
As I felt nothing but praise and joy for my three benefactors today, we will sing glorious praise to our Lord Jesus and throw our crowns at His feet in appreciation for our heavenly reward. It will be worth more than the hurt foot. It will make up for a lifetime of pain.
Perhaps this is why the Lord is so anxious for us to get to heaven. He's preparing a place for us there, and I get the impression that it will be a place fit for a king. He knows we have been through a lot on this planet of sin. He will do all He can to make up for what we have suffered. And all that suffering will require some pretty grand royal treatment.
As I felt nothing but praise and joy for my three benefactors today, we will sing glorious praise to our Lord Jesus and throw our crowns at His feet in appreciation for our heavenly reward. It will be worth more than the hurt foot. It will make up for a lifetime of pain.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Everything a Blessing
Yesterday I had what felt like a very unproductive day. Very ordinary, run-of-the-mill activities for this caregiver grandma. Then this morning on a board meeting phone conference, I was asked to proofread a 40-page grant for 2.7 million dollars for brain injury resources and advocacy that must be turned in no later than tomorrow night at midnight! Boy, did my "worthiness" quotient go up a few miles with that one.
So I agreed saying, "Oh, sure, I've got all afternoon to work on it." Then I discovered I would have to go with my daughter to a doctor's appointment to watch the two little granddaughters. I didn't dare check my blood pressure at that point, but I went with her, got home and furiously got the proofreading done too, with time for this blog.
God is so good to me. He never fails to give me just WHAT I need, just WHEN I need it. I can't praise Him enough. I believe if we turn our lives over to God, everything will turn out to be a blessing. Maybe not at the time it happens, and maybe not even in this lifetime. But someday we will recognize God's signature in all the happenings of our life, the good and the bad. It will all contribute to God's glory, and what's not good about that?
So I agreed saying, "Oh, sure, I've got all afternoon to work on it." Then I discovered I would have to go with my daughter to a doctor's appointment to watch the two little granddaughters. I didn't dare check my blood pressure at that point, but I went with her, got home and furiously got the proofreading done too, with time for this blog.
God is so good to me. He never fails to give me just WHAT I need, just WHEN I need it. I can't praise Him enough. I believe if we turn our lives over to God, everything will turn out to be a blessing. Maybe not at the time it happens, and maybe not even in this lifetime. But someday we will recognize God's signature in all the happenings of our life, the good and the bad. It will all contribute to God's glory, and what's not good about that?
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