Praise Him in the Hallway

I had finished emptying the trash cans in Mom's room, and changed her bed.  Mom was dressed and needed only to stand and use her walker to come to the living room. As I waited for her to advance to my side so that I could help her into her chair, I had time to check my phone; Mama doesn't move very fast these days.

I saw that a friend had shared a meme on Facebook with this caption: Until God opens the next door, praise Him in the hallway!  

Coincidentally, Mom's c.d. player was playing This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior, all the day long!  

I may be a little slow on the uptake, but the Lord had gotten through to me; I'm supposed to praise Him, period.  Not just when I am happy with my life, but always.  Or, as Scripture says, "Give thanks in all circumstances" (1 Thessalonians 5:18.)

Caregiving can represent an in-between time of life; many of us have grown children, grandchildren may have arrived, but we are still providing care to aging parents. Additionally, some of us are beginning to deal with age-related health issues of our own. Thus, sandwich generation issues represent a uniquely stressful time of life, as our beloved burdens consume our rapidly diminishing supplies of energy. It is too easy to lapse to an "I'd like to buy an R.V. and escape from all this" mentality.

But truth be told, happiness isn't acquired by freedom from stress.  The very people who increase our workloads are most often the folks we love the most. One doesn't generally receive hugs and "I love you's" from fellow campers in an R.V. parking lot. Most times it is those precious people God has entrusted to our care who are our our best hope of loving and being loved as He asks us to do.

So there's my first praise the Lord of the day; Father, thank You for this time of my life, thank You for the privilege of taking care of my mom in ways that are a little bit like how You have cared for me.  I praise you during this "hallway" time of my life. 

(And if there is an R.V. waiting on the other side of the next door the Lord opens for us, I'll praise Him for that too!)