Your Dying Spouse 281 - God's Glory In Caregiving

We're linked with Messy Marriage's From Messes To Messages - please visit beth's site for some amazingly good marriage resources!

Caregiving can be a very hard and lonely road, and sometimes it can seem like God can be very, very far away.

Dealing with the physical mess, memory and cognition issues, and the sheer despair of watching someone you love slip further and further away toward a door through which you can't yet pass...all of those can beg the question, "Why, God? Why is this happening, and where are You?"

It's not a bad question to be asking...after all, Jesus asked God why He had been forsaken, when He was on the Cross. You're in good company.

But as there was glory in Jesus' facing that which He was compelled to face, there is glory for you, dear caregiver.

First, like Christ, you're doing what you have to do. As the husband or wife of a mate who's terminally ill, you're fulfilling the promise you made before God...the "in sickness and in health" bit.

Second, you've very likely learned to accept help. Like Jesus on the Via Dolorosa, His Cross carried by Simon the Cyrene, you have - I hope - found that there are people who will support you, carrying your cross - and sometimes you - when your strength fails.

And as Jesus took the drink offered on a spear-borne sponge from a Roman soldier, I hope you have been fed by those you least expect.

Third, even though the person you care for may be impatient and quarrelsome at times, there will be moments when you will see and hear genuine thanks.

And fourth, "when you do these things for the least of My children, you have done them for Me."

A bit of news..."Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart" has come home! Tate Publishing has gone south, and I regained the rights, so it'll soon be available in both Kindle hardcopy versions once again. In the meantime, if you absolutely can't wait (!), you can still get used copies from Amazon.

I have another blog, "Starting The Day With Grace". The focus is a grace quote from someone you might not expect (like, say Mick Jagger) and a short commentary. I hope you'll join me.

Marley update... been moved to a sanctuary, and Bay County will revise their 'dangerous dog' codes.

WE MADE A DIFFERENCE!

And marley has a Facebook page! Please drop by to see how happy he is today.

If you can, please do leave a comment. I am trying to answer all, and I am failing, but please know this - I read and treasure each one.

Below are my recent releases on Kindle -please excuse their presence in the body of the blog. I haven't the energy to get them up as 'buttons' in the sidebar. You can click on the covers to go to the Amazon links.