Trip to Bountiful

It has been decided.  When Chris and I become so senile that we can’t take care of ourselves, our daughter and son -in -law will take care of Chris, and our son and daughter- in- law will take care of me.  What this means is that Chris will live on a boat near a shop.  I will live in a nursing home.  You might ask why we have made these decisions so far in advance?  This is because of the trouble we had with our parents. 

It all started to go downhill for my mother-in-law when she retired. With my mom it started when I got married.  Then on top of that my father-in-law came down with cancer.  Chris is an only child so the care of his parents was his job.  I lost my sister to cancer so the care of my parents was shared between my 3 brothers and me.

The last 10 years of our parent’s lives were tough on all of us.  As in parenting, you can read and read, but when it comes down to it there is no perfect parenting, as there are no perfect parents.  When caring for the elderly, no matter how many books you read, or how much you seek wisdom from God, it all comes down to a learning, or you might say a strengthening experience.

During the time of their decline my parents lived in California and I lived in Washington State.  I would get letters from my mom saying that my brother and his wife were abusing her.  She said that she was starving.  So of course we had food delivered to her and sent prayers and advice.  I suggested that they talk to their pastor, which they did.  But still my mom complained.  The biggest help to me was when my dad wrote a letter to me saying that everything is fine and that I shouldn’t worry.  I took that as advice from the Lord through my dad.  But it is easier said than done.

My parents owned 2 homes and wanted to live 6 months in each.  But, when they were living in their summer place, a woman from their church let us know that my dad was falling, and that they should be moved near to family.  My mom said, “We’re too old to retire.”  She was disappointed that they couldn’t continue to live in their summer place.

During this time I watched a movie called “Trip To Bountiful.”

 http://www.amazon.com/Trip-Bountiful-Ostar-Enterprises-Inc/dp/B00IW267YQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1400080727&sr=1-1&keywords=trip+to+bountiful

In it an elderly woman was living with her son and daughter-in-law.  She wasn’t happy living there and she just wanted to go back and visit her hometown one last time.  The town was called Bountiful.   Finally when she couldn’t get any help from her son and daughter-in-law she managed to ride the bus back there.  She found out that her good friend had been able to stay in her own home, and that she had died while out in the field on her tractor. 

So this is my conclusion.  If a person is in their right mind let them live as they want to.  Don’t worry if they are out on a tractor.  Don’t nag or fret about them. If someone lets you know that they need to be moved then move them.  But if no friend, neighbor, or church member thinks they are in harms way then leave them alone. But of course those who have become senile you can’t leave unsupervised. Pray about everything and God will help you through. 

What advice would you give to those who seek to care for the elderly?

Living in a War Zone

We are living in a war zone—a spiritual war that is.  When Saddam Hussein used chemical weapons to kill his own people and paid terrorists to attack Israel and the United States, as well as trying to assassinate George H.W. Bush in the 1980’s, we put up with it for a while, but finally after September 11, 2001, we had had enough!    The United States attacked the terrorists in Afghanistan and Iraq in the hopes that the terrorists would learn that they couldn’t attack us and get away with it.

But now, when Bashar al-Assad, the president of Syria, started killing his own people with chemical weapons we drew a red line and allowed him to cross it.  Then we trusted Putin, the fox, to watch the hen house.  The Nigerian school girls have been kidnapped so we tweet “#Bring back our girls.”  And meanwhile, the European Union, instead of helping Ukraine, they voted on a “talent” show.  A bearded man wearing a dress, wins.  That is supposed to tell us that they are tolerant.  Well they are tolerant to the detriment of society.  See this blog by Robert Tracinski--http://thefederalist.com/2014/05/13/eurovision-raises-the-question-how-many-divisions-has-rupaul/. 

The United States under its present leadership has also become tolerant of everything except Christianity.

So what is a Christian to do?  I would say do this:

1st –Pray,

I Timothy 2:1 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.

2nd, study the Bible,

II Timothy 2:15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. 

Ephesians 6:17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

3^rd, Confess your sins,
Psalm 51:3 For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. 4 Against You, You only, I have sinned And done what is evil in Your sight, So that You are justified when You speak And blameless when You judge.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

4th, forgive as God has forgiven you,

Ephesians 4:32  Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

5th, Have faith and do works:

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Matthew 5: ¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.


Ephesians 5:11 Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them.

Jude 1: 22 And have mercy on some, who are doubting ; 23 save others, snatching them out of the fire ; and on some have mercy with fear, hating even the garment polluted by the flesh.

6th, Live Life

Jeremiah 29:5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.⁶ Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. ⁷ Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

We know that God wins in the end.  We can “Cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.”  Don’t worry –be happy!  God is in control!

What would be your advice as how to live in the midst of all this craziness?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

Today was another wonderful Mother's Day for me.  My kids, grandkids and hubby took me on a picnic.  The weather was perfect and the park wasn't crowded.  (Later I found out that I chose a park in a bad neighborhood.  I guess that is why it wasn't crowded. We thought maybe there were homeless people who were sheltering under the trees when we saw what looked like an abandoned sleeping bag.)

Thinking back about my life I was very blessed to have a mom, dad, siblings, and 4 grandparents.  Above is a picture of me with my Grandpa Edson, cousin Dorothy, Aunt Ruth, brother Jay, my mom, Aunt Evelyn, and Grandma Edson at my grandparent's farm in Eastern Washington.  What a great life to have a God fearing family.  Grandma Edson and Aunt Evelyn always enjoyed singing the doxology before meals. Now my granddaughters enjoy singing it.

 "Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

Praise him, all creatures here below;

Praise him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen."