God Provides Refuge In Trying Times
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him. -- Nahum 1:7
Life is what happens while you’re making plans. I’m not sure who said that originally but it sure has proven to be true in my life. It’s almost comical. I make plans and then watch in frustration as life takes over.
Today began like most Sundays. Up early for breakfast and time with God before heading off to early church and Sunday school. My Mother hasn’t been doing well and she and my father stayed home.
I had planned to prepare lunch for them, clean up the kitchen, and then kick back in my recliner to read and relax and do nothing. Totally. Okay. Maybe get caught up with this daily devotional that seems to have lagged since Mother got sick. But nothing else.
What I did was come home, help Mother into the car and head toward the emergency room in a nearby town. And there we stayed for about six hours. The doctors and nurses and other folks were wonderful but the ER was packed with wreck victims, stomach virus ills and strep throat. I tried to be patient and kind, all while I repeatedly lathered my hands with sanitizer.
The good news is that maybe, just maybe, we finally know what’s going on and causing her pain. I’ve asked God for that diagnosis. The down side is that we’ve got other hurdles, such as referrals to a specialist with a long waiting list. But it’s a start and I am grateful.
My Father is a nervous wreck. At 82, he’s ready for a quiet, simple life. He’s got a wife who can’t lift herself from a chair and stand without help. She moans in pain and he can’t fix it. He goes between tears and nervous edginess.
I am in the middle of the two, trying to manage doctors and treatments while caring for him as well. And, did I mention, earning a living in the midst of it all?
I’m not complaining, though it might sound that way. My parents are blessed to have wonderful medical benefits that allow them to get the best of care. I am blessed to have a flexible schedule that allows me to care for them. Those are the blessings.
The downside is the constant stress and mental strain of being a caregiver for people who resent needing one. Few people understand the frustrations and the desperate need for even a few hours free from endless responsibility.
God understands. He is with me. He listens to my complaints and understands. He hears my frustrations and understands. He sees my tears and understands. How grateful and blessed I am to have God, the Creator of the universe, who cares for me during
