We are in the process of moving my father from Virginia to my hometown in eastern North Carolina.
The Lord, truly, answered our prayers with an opening in a highly sought after family run facility. When Robin and I first toured the home we both left saying "put us here!" It is simply wonderful.
Last weekend we made the 614 mile round trip trek to tell my Dad. We had our closing arguments ready. My brother, husband, sister-in-love and I gathered in his room to explain why we need him to come to North Carolina. We were expecting a fight. What we received was truly a miracle. My dad looked at us and said "let me think a moment". One minute pause. "I think I'd like that". Our jaws dropped. My brother actually gave my husband a high five. He had one request. He insisted we take him out to dinner at his favorite restaurant. Two hours later, 4 grown adults huffing & puffing, a wheelchair, and 2 tanks of oxygen we arrived at the restaurant. We had a wonderful time. We left that night relieved, joyful, and thankful.
My entire week, literally, has been spent on the phone. Trying to coordinate between his current facility, his future facility, his current hospice care, his future hospice care, ambulatory transportation to North Carolina, purchasing Dad a fresh new wardrobe, trying to find new Doctors. To say it has been a challenge is an understatement. I momentarily thought "is this worth it?''
My new full time job as "George's travel coordinator" has caused me to miss a coveted hair appointment. Bible study. A lunch with friends. I'm going to miss my children on my birthday. I'm missing a birthday party. I'm missing my brother in law's birthday. I'm missing a wonderful trip on a private plane for Thanksgiving with my in-laws. Notice I'm missing a lot of "me's".
Honestly, my Dad has been a jerk for three years. He has treated my brother and me terribly at times. After the death of our Mother he decided he hated the world. I guess we reminded him that the person he loved the most was gone. That he was alone. He made Marc and me feel as if we weren't enough. And it hurt.
It would be so easy to just leave him in Virginia. Forget about him. He has hospice and nurses tending to him. He's not going to live past the first of the year anyway, right? And then the quiet whisper in my head begins.
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD
your God is giving you."-Exodus 20:12
your God is giving you."-Exodus 20:12
Boom! There it is! Nothing is mine. God has blessed me. He has given me life via my parents. This entails all the difficulties that, may or may not, come with it. The Lord granted me life. He chose my parents for me. My story is because of who my parents are. How my story plays out is my choice.
Isn't that a miraculous and marvelous parallel to Jesus? He was born to us. For us. He gives us life. What we choose to do with Him is our choice. The story is laid before us. Ignore Him. Or accept Him. Honestly, ignoring Him is the easiest. We get to live our own lives. Make our own selfish decisions. If we accept Him? Quite honestly, that involves servitude. Selflessness. It involves, sometimes, hardship. It involves giving up our lives because He exchanged His.
The reward? A lifetime knowing that I honored God by doing the right thing. I am doing what is pleasing to the One who gave up His life for mine. I am in essence thanking Him. Loving Him for loving me first.
Once I made up my mind my whole perspective changed. I am actually excited! For the first time in my married life we will get to have Thanksgiving with my dad here. Possibly Christmas.
I have the opportunity to love him to death...literally. And that makes my heart smile.
Once I made up my mind my whole perspective changed. I am actually excited! For the first time in my married life we will get to have Thanksgiving with my dad here. Possibly Christmas.
I have the opportunity to love him to death...literally. And that makes my heart smile.
"Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."-Isaiah 40:30,31
