We only lived about an hour and a half away from dad. But when he would wind up in the hospital it was rough trying coordinate the kids to go see him. At one point my brother and I spent some time deciding who he should live near, so we could better manage his care...and than we tried to discuss it with him. LOL!
Dad was an independent soul. He had no desire to be "looked after" by his children.
I have friends who have moved across the country to be close to thier parents to help them out as they aged and others who have moved thier folks in with them. Moving to The Bronx was not an option for my brother or I as we both have families settled in communities we love.
So what do we do with parents that are far away? We can support them financially if the Lord calls us to, send notes or cards, arrange for meals. Those are all nice things, but what can we do in a physical sense to serve from a distance?
We can pray.
"I'll keep you in my prayers" has become such a catch phrase that it is often used to the point of abuse. Do we really pray when we say will? How often and with how much fervency? What does God's word tell us about prayer?
Lets take a look:
Exodus 9:29Moses replied, "When I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands in prayer to the LORD. The thunder will stop and there will be no more hail, so you may know that the earth is the LORD's.
1 Chronicles 5:20They were helped in fighting them, and God handed the Hagrites and all their allies over to them, because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.
2 Chronicles 6:19Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence.
Ephesians 6:18And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
James 5:15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven.
We all know that there are plenty more scriptures on prayer! Think about it: We are invited to ask our Heavenly Father, the Creator of the universe to help! There is so much more to write on this , but for now, pray about your active role in prayer. You are doing something. Many would argue, the most important thing: praying.
How about you?
Are you feeling helpless, like there is nothing you can do? Are you willing to tell your Abba just that? Can you get some time alone to be with Him? Will You ask Him how to serve even from a distance?
Lets pray:
Father in the name of Jesus, thank you for the privilege of prayer. You invite to approach Your throne of grace with fear and trembling. Lord I ask that we approach You about our parents and how best to serve them in this season. I ask that You would make us bold as we seek Your hand in any situation we face. We know in our heads that prayer is essential, I ask that You would reveal it in our hearts as well.
Amen.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Monday, June 22, 2009
Restoration...
Psalm 31:3 "Since You are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of Your name lead and guide me."
When I first started this blog, it was in response to several people who are in this season, actively caring for parents or who had just lost a parent. I wanted to so much to serve. There was only one problem, I didn't ask first.
I was in the middle of discovering that even when I want to do great things for God, it requires His anointing, not mine. Sometimes our great things for God are not what He called us to. We can grapple with doing something, but ultimately, we must submit to His will.
Case in point: When Mom had been on the vent a number of years, her Aunt Molly began to have health issues. Aunt Molly had helped raise my mom. When Mom's, father was very ill with spinal meningitis, she lived with Aunt Molly for a while.
Mom felt it was her job to help take care of her. There was only one glitch: Mom was on a vent and I was her hands and feet. At the time, I was in nursing school, and working as well as taking care of Mom. I wanted to help, but just could not. It was that one too many thing on the plate for me. I remember praying about it at the time and knowing I just could not take it on.
Mom was not happy about my "no" to this aspect of service.
But the truth is that when we get busy doing good things, for God without His ability and grace, we fail.
But there is another piece of truth here as well. When we are convinced that we are the only ones who can do it, we deny someone else the opportunity to serve. If we take on all the "good things for God" in our world, we get in the way of what God may have planned for someone else to do.
That explanation did not thrill Mom at the time.
Now that the book is finished and we are ready to publish, I sense the Lord releasing me to this project. Funny His timing is always better than mine. I pray it blesses.
How about you?
Are there things you are doing, some very good things, that may be outside the will of God for you to be doing? Could you be denying someone else the opportunity to serve? Are you willing to put aside even good things and ask our Heavenly Father to show you His will?
Lets pray:
Father in the name of Jesus, thank you for being so patient. Lord You alone are our strength. Without You, we fail. Your Word promises to lead us and guide us. We know You love our enthusiasm to serve You! But You also want us to listen, to know Your will for us. You love our obedient hearts. Lord we lay our lives before You and ask You to show us each day, where You would have us serve. We ask You to make our paths clear, that we might not fail. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
PS I will try to restore the older posts. Just give me some time to figure that part out!
When I first started this blog, it was in response to several people who are in this season, actively caring for parents or who had just lost a parent. I wanted to so much to serve. There was only one problem, I didn't ask first.
I was in the middle of discovering that even when I want to do great things for God, it requires His anointing, not mine. Sometimes our great things for God are not what He called us to. We can grapple with doing something, but ultimately, we must submit to His will.
Case in point: When Mom had been on the vent a number of years, her Aunt Molly began to have health issues. Aunt Molly had helped raise my mom. When Mom's, father was very ill with spinal meningitis, she lived with Aunt Molly for a while.
Mom felt it was her job to help take care of her. There was only one glitch: Mom was on a vent and I was her hands and feet. At the time, I was in nursing school, and working as well as taking care of Mom. I wanted to help, but just could not. It was that one too many thing on the plate for me. I remember praying about it at the time and knowing I just could not take it on.
Mom was not happy about my "no" to this aspect of service.
But the truth is that when we get busy doing good things, for God without His ability and grace, we fail.
But there is another piece of truth here as well. When we are convinced that we are the only ones who can do it, we deny someone else the opportunity to serve. If we take on all the "good things for God" in our world, we get in the way of what God may have planned for someone else to do.
That explanation did not thrill Mom at the time.
Now that the book is finished and we are ready to publish, I sense the Lord releasing me to this project. Funny His timing is always better than mine. I pray it blesses.
How about you?
Are there things you are doing, some very good things, that may be outside the will of God for you to be doing? Could you be denying someone else the opportunity to serve? Are you willing to put aside even good things and ask our Heavenly Father to show you His will?
Lets pray:
Father in the name of Jesus, thank you for being so patient. Lord You alone are our strength. Without You, we fail. Your Word promises to lead us and guide us. We know You love our enthusiasm to serve You! But You also want us to listen, to know Your will for us. You love our obedient hearts. Lord we lay our lives before You and ask You to show us each day, where You would have us serve. We ask You to make our paths clear, that we might not fail. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
PS I will try to restore the older posts. Just give me some time to figure that part out!
Sunday, June 21, 2009
1. Visit Israel
2. Visit Ireland
3. Pay off all debt
4. Pay off mortgage too!
5. Open a bakery/coffee house
6. Fix everything broken on house and rental
7. Have a house at Ocean City
8. A swing set!
9. Write a book that people want to read because it's fantastic!
10. Raise woman who love God and are fond of themselves.
11. Raise a godly son.
12. Tell others.
12. Stay smoke free forever!
13. Watch Belle run in the sand!
14. Watch Jack write his first book.
15. Enjoy John's retirement...for real.
16. See SS healed.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. Meet Allison Worthington and be her Poughkeepsie BFF!
PS More to come! Feel free to add on your own! xoxoxo
2. Visit Ireland
3. Pay off all debt
4. Pay off mortgage too!
5. Open a bakery/coffee house
6. Fix everything broken on house and rental
7. Have a house at Ocean City
8. A swing set!
9. Write a book that people want to read because it's fantastic!
10. Raise woman who love God and are fond of themselves.
11. Raise a godly son.
12. Tell others.
12. Stay smoke free forever!
13. Watch Belle run in the sand!
14. Watch Jack write his first book.
15. Enjoy John's retirement...for real.
16. See SS healed.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. Meet Allison Worthington and be her Poughkeepsie BFF!
PS More to come! Feel free to add on your own! xoxoxo
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Life List
1. Visit Israel
2. Visit Ireland
3. Pay off all debt
4. Pay off mortgage too!
5. Open a bakery/coffee house
6. Fix everything broken on house and rental
7. Have a house at Ocean City
8. A swing set!
9. Write a book that people want to read because it's fantastic!
10. Raise woman who love God and are fond of themselves.
11. Raise a godly son.
12. Tell others.
12. Stay smoke free forever!
13. Watch Belle run in the sand!
14. Watch Jack write his first book.
15. Enjoy John's retirement...for real.
16. See SS healed.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. Meet Allison Worthington and be her Poughkeepsie BFF!
PS More to come! Feel free to add on your own! xoxoxo
2. Visit Ireland
3. Pay off all debt
4. Pay off mortgage too!
5. Open a bakery/coffee house
6. Fix everything broken on house and rental
7. Have a house at Ocean City
8. A swing set!
9. Write a book that people want to read because it's fantastic!
10. Raise woman who love God and are fond of themselves.
11. Raise a godly son.
12. Tell others.
12. Stay smoke free forever!
13. Watch Belle run in the sand!
14. Watch Jack write his first book.
15. Enjoy John's retirement...for real.
16. See SS healed.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22. Meet Allison Worthington and be her Poughkeepsie BFF!
PS More to come! Feel free to add on your own! xoxoxo
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