Your Dying Spouse 417 - A Caregiver's Magnificat {FMF/#adventphoto2017}

First, a quick announcement - Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is available again on Kindle, and will be available in paperback in a few days. This is all thanks to Carol Ashby; I could not have done it.

How does one prepare for an awful privilege, a terrible honour?

Dear Caregiver, how do you prepare to see your beloved spouse out of this life?

You know it's coming, and all the prayers in the world, the most robust optimism, can't keep that day away forever.

How do you hold onto your faith, which may be cracking under the terrible strain of your own helplessness in the situation, to give faith and strength to someone who is looking to you to be their strong tower?

You did not ask for this; how can you possibly fulfill your anointed role?

Mary understood this, in a different way. In the Magnificat, Luke 1:46-55, she says,

46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

48 For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed.

49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

51 He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.

52 He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.

53 He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.

54 He hath helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy;

55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

Mary takes the bull by the horns, so to speak; with "a terrible calm" she accepts her exaltation, and the role she will play in history...and her own effect upon history.

As a caregiver, you're not responsible for history. You're responsible for the care of a single soul.

And there is no 'only a single soul' implied; that is every bit as important as a responsibility for the whole world. (Only is the FMF prompt this week.)

Music is from Train, with Calling All Angels.

Today's keyword for Advent-Photo-A-Day is prepare.

Previous posts in this series are

December 3 - The Meaning Of Christmas

December 4 - A Caregiving Home

December 5 - Caregiver, Please Wait For Me

December 6 - A Caregiver's Vision

Please pardon my slow response to comments. I'm doing my best, and your comments are really precious to me.

I'm really not doing well at all.

Thanks to Carol Ashby, Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart is back on Kindle, and will be available in paperback in a few days!

Friends are everything. I couldn't have done it.

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.

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