Gardens and Prayer In Need

It's been far too long since I posted or visited any of you dear ladies in Blogland.  Life has a way of getting in the way of frivolity on occasion, doesn't it?  As much as I love blogging and bloggers, let's face it.  In the big picture, it's frivolity.  Wonderful frivolity, but frivolity!  It seems like life has been filled with one crisis after another for the last couple of years.  I've had to take a few unwanted breaks from blogging, which I regret.  Spending time in the blogs of the many wonderful friends I've met in this techno world is a most pleasant time of escape! 

My parents are in a real crisis, the simple result of the growing older.  Many of you know that my precious father is in the end stage of pulmonary disease.  He had another heart attack in January and there is in a battle going on between the frailness of body and the desires of a man 40 years younger.  He wants to work hard and drive a car and do his own car and house repairs.  He wants to carry the groceries in for my mother and take her dinner.  None of that is possible now, as he is restricted to sitting in his chair with oxygen every waking hour.  My mother is fairly healthy for a nearly 80 year old woman.  However, heartbreaking sadness has struck again.  She is rapidly going blind from macular degeneration.  I am heartbroken because I strongly pushed her to have cataract surgery.  I went to Tennessee a couple of weeks ago to take her and spent a week afterward.  The cataract surgery has caused her slow moving dry type macular disease to change to a very rapid, much more serious form of wet macular degeneration.  She will lose her vision rapidly.  The only hope to slow the loss down is to begin a treatment of month injections in the eye.  I am heartsick for my poor little mother and I am suffering with terrific guilt that I so strongly pushed her to have the cataract surgery.  Of course I thought it would help her, since she is the only driver in the home when I can't be there.  I mean, unfortunately I can't go down there just to pick up prescriptions or get groceries.  But oh my gosh, what have I done.

My husband and I have been to my parents home 600 miles away four times since Christmas.  We often have to plan these trips immediately after my infusion at the chemo clinic when, to be truthful, I feel as if I can barely take care of myself, not to speak of taking care of others!  We leave again soon and will be making at least monthly trips to take care of everyday business as well as repairs and their medical visits.  It is an incredible "job" to single handedly care for elderly, ill parents, as many of you already know.  But they're incredible parents and it's an incredible heartbreak.  So it's an incredibly easy choice to make.  I am one of four children in my family and this job is mine alone it seems, for a variety of reasons, some absolutely valid, some not.  I never forget the blessing of the husband I have, who willingly and joyously sacrifices and helps me to care for my parents and their home.  We've talked many times about the loneliness and sadness of being alone in this journey and we can only come to the conclusion that we can only answer to God for ourselves and it is the right thing for us to do on so many levels.  I cherish my parents and I will be inconsolable when either are gone, though I know they will be healthy again and joyous with God their Savior.  That thought helps me to face these heart rendering trips to their home, when my mind expects to see two beautiful, energetic people waiting for us with the pool and the barbecue ready! 

If you are a believer I would cherish your prayers for my parents and for me as we face these final days as a complete family on earth together.  Since there's been a bit of storm in my life lately I enjoyed this little poem, oh so true!  I hope you enjoy it too.


Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...

It's about learning to dance in the rain.

How To Plant Your Garden

First, you Come to the garden alone,

while the dew is still on the roses....

FOR THE GARDEN OF YOUR DAILY LIVING...

PLANT THREE ROWS OF PEAS:

1. Peace of mind

2. Peace of heart

3. Peace of soul


PLANT FOUR ROWS OF SQUASH...

1. Squash gossip

2. Squash indifference

3. Squash grumbling

4. Squash selfishness


PLANT FOUR ROWS OF LETTUCE...

1. Lettuce be faithful

2. Lettuce be kind

3. Lettuce be patient

4. Lettuce really love one another


NO GARDEN IS WITHOUT TURNIPS...

1. Turnip for meetings

2. Turnip for service

3 Turnip to help one another



TO CONCLUDE OUR GARDEN WE MUST HAVE THYME:

1. Thyme for each other

2. Thyme for family

3. Thyme for friends

4 Thyme for prayer


WATER FREELY WITH PATIENCE AND CULTIVATE WITH LOVE. THERE IS MUCH FRUIT IN YOUR GARDEN...BECAUSE YOU REAP WHAT YOU SOW.