The Ultimate Snow Day

Everyone looks forward to a "snow day" now and then when schools and jobs implore you to stay home and be safe from the frigid weather. We had one again this week, and I must say it was a welcome but brief reprieve from our daily routine. As we tend to linger in bed a bit longer in the morning, we have mental images of lounging by a warm fire and sipping on hot chocolate all day.

However, I found myself rescheduling appointments and finding out when the next meeting that was cancelled might reconvene. And most annoying was that the same caregiving tasks needed to be done, leaving me little time to even make that hot chocolate, let alone sip on it.

I'm sure even schoolchildren were disappointed to discover that their school assignments were not overlooked that day, but squeezed tightly into their already heavy schedules.

This has left me with a new appreciation of heaven. When the Lord declares a "snow day" up there (and I have a hunch it might be about every seventh day--Isaiah 66:23), we will truly have a rest and a reprieve from all the normal, but pleasant, duties that await us in our new home. Praise to God for designing and declaring the ultimate "snow day".

Me-Time

The caregiver retreat I attended the last two days must have been a success. Today Dean is at his adult day program, which he regularly attends on Friday, but I can't believe all the relaxing I've been able to fit into my morning since he's been gone.

Normally I'm in a frenzy, trying to get as much accomplished as possible, but today I took the message they were pointing out to us at the retreat to heart and just did everything at a more leisurely pace, and it has worked. I not only got in my shower time, a nap, and some relaxing on the back deck (finally feels warm enough to do that), but also got some closets worked on, a load of clothes laundered, a phone call made, and now am even writing this blog (forgive me if it's a short one). Who would have thought?

I debated about whether to go to Wal-mart to pick up a couple of items we're about to run out of, but the crowds there didn't sound conducive to my new "me-time" awareness effort, so I've put it off for another time.

I might even have the fortitude stored in me to think of taking Dean with me to the store this week-end. Notice I said "think". *wink*

Peace and Quiet

Don't know why I've been in such a dark mood. Yesterday's stop at a rehab center with Dean, which included visiting someone we know in the dementia unit, was rather unnerving to me. That was probably part of it. Just couldn't explain why I was feeling so out-of-sorts lately.

Today Dean had to go get more blood drawn to check his platelets, which were low the last time. And then on to visit his podiatrist for a regular nail clipping. I asked Dean to go into the doctor's office by himself, so I could brood for awhile by myself in the car. I even told him that's what I was going to do.

Just those few moments alone helped. All I did was sit in the peace and quiet. When I felt somewhat recharged I went in to the waiting room till he was done with the doctor. I'm not sure it totally did the trick, but it did feel good to be alone for just a bit. A caregiver has to get respite anyway she can.

I thank God for opportunities of refreshment and renewal. God knows we all need them. I'm sure that's why He gave us the Sabbath. You don't have to be a caregiver to experience Sabbath Rest. It's built right into our week. And it's ours for the taking.

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.

Sleeper Cold

You've heard of forced labor. Well, today I practiced forced rest. With this sleeper cold I have, it's tempting to go about the day's housework and activities as if everything was normal. But of course, I know that the dry, hacking, ribs-breaking cough is enough to exhaust my body as much as any physical exertion. Even though I can pretend the coughing isn't really that big a deal. If I keep busy I won't even notice that it's there. Until it gets so bad I end up with pneumonia or bronchitis.

Isn't that how we treat some kinds of sin in our life? It's an annoying occurrence, but it really doesn't call for much concern. If I stay busy enough, it won't seem so bad. Besides, it could be far worse than it is. I'm sure it will just go away on its own, without any particular action on my part.

But will it really? That's what I like about the Sabbath. It's a time of rest that enables me to notice the "coughs" in my life and do something about them. Not a forced rest, but one that is highly recommended by the Great Healer himself.

The Most Effective Cold Remedy

Most people have the luxury of having a respiratory episode sneak up on them. They have at least a day or so to get used to the idea that their symptoms are indeed leading up to a cold. Not me, I know it from the first scratch or tickle in my throat. One hour I sound fine and feel reasonably human, but the next hour I transform into a nose-blowing, coughing, gasping-for-air miserable invalid.

My family saw that in me today. I morphed right before their eyes and now I am just trying to hang on to some shreds of humanity and praying this is not one of my worst colds. The kind that puts me in the hospital. But if I'm lucky it will only mean a few sleepless nights with remnants hanging on for a couple of weeks. I've already whipped out the nebulizer and taken an antihistamine and an expectorant. My lungs are just too wimpy to handle these onslaughts like a normal person. Oh, I've drunk gobs of water too. That and rest are the only two natural remedies that seem to touch what I experience with a cold.

Oh, I've forgotten to include my most effective ingredient for cold survival. Lots of prayer. It's only natural, but it works the best of them all. My prayers and those of my loved ones. I wouldn't have the courage to face this without them. Thank you, Jesus, for the prayer remedy.

The Day We Forgot

Today I happened to be out shopping and noticed the flurry of people out doing the same. I realize it's getting close to Christmas, but I've noticed over the years that Saturday AND Sunday seem to be ordinary business days for most people. Special maybe in the sense that it is the weekend, but also days for doing whatever needs to be done that you didn't have time for on the weekdays.

Nobody has time for a "day of rest" any more! Sunday-keeping Christians for years have used what they call the Lord's Day as a day set aside for God. And I believe initially that included resting from ordinary work that can be done on the other six days. Ask your grandparents, or great-grandparents.

God designed the world and even our human bodies to appreciate one day of rest every week, just as God himself rested the seventh day from His work of creation. So, how has the Christian world fallen so far away from seeking God on His special day?

Upon investigation years ago, I came up with an answer that satisfied me. But you have to go back to the eternal, unchangeable Ten Commandment Law written with the very finger of God. God specified not only A day, but WHICH day we are to reserve as holy. And He even told why...because HE BLESSED THAT DAY, a day that would point to the Creator, the Author and Finisher of our faith. It's the only Commandment that describes who we are to worship. In a sense it is like His autograph and placed right in the heart of the Law itself.

Man is trying to make a day holy that God has never blessed--and it hasn't worked. It was the only Commandment prefaced with "remember", but somewhere along the way we "forgot".