Believing caregivers, how do I reconcile that scripture says to put others before me whereas the secular world says put me first?

Yoda,

I learned about papaya juice from Dr Oz. I tried it and I just started to have more energy after drinking it and all I ever drank was a half a glass after dinner. I buy the all natural because it has less sugar. You can get it at a health food store and some grocery stores carry it.


NHWM, So happy for you and your daughter.👏🎆

Llamalover, Good for you:) Congratulations!🎆🎉

Shell: Thank you so much!

NHWM: You're welcome! As I've said, you have a young daughter - mine just turned 47, but then I'm 72. I had her when I was 25.

NoTry: Thank you ever so much! I have to be careful not to indulge and I rarely allow myself any sweets.

Yoda,

I have the opposite problem. I have always been too thin. I have always been very active. Also, if I get upset I totally lose my appetite.

If people don’t feel well their activity goes down. I get that some people turn to food when upset.

I have splurged on a few pieces dark chocolate occasionally! I’ve never been a big eater. I do enjoy cooking but I have to freeze it or invite people over because otherwise it would go to waste.

AN UPSIDE DOWN WORLD....

—3 John 11

We must get this fact firmly fixed in our minds: we live in an upside-down world. People hate when they should love, quarrel when they should be friendly, fight when they should be peaceful, wound when they should heal, steal when they should share, do wrong when they should do right. I once saw a toy clown with a weight in its head. No matter what position you put it in, it invariably assumed an upside-down position. Put it on its feet or on its side, and when you let go it flipped back on its head. Unregenerate people are just like that! Do what you may with them and they always revert to an upside-down position. That is why the disciples to the world were misfits. To an upside-down person, a right-side up person seems upside down. To a sinner, a righteous person is an oddity and an abnormality. A Christian’s goodness is a rebuke to the wicked; his being right-side up is a reflection upon the worldling’s inverted position.

Christians are called to be a light in the darkness.

Prayer for the day
Let me never compromise my stand for You, Lord Jesus, who gave Your sinless life for me.

Credit: Billy Graham Association

NHWM: You're lucky! I used to be super thin, but then my mom gave me Hypothyroidism. Yuck! Don't want it! But whatcha gonna do? Eat McDonald's salad every night. Good thing I'm a creature of habit.

Sendhelp: Thank you for that great analogy!💞💞

Sendhelp,

Billy Graham was the real thing. My parents and grandparents used to watch him on television when I was a child. He was a special man.

I remember seeing an interview that he did later in his life. He was asked if he had any regrets. He said, “Only one, that I spent so much time away from my wife and children.” He said the problems that he had with his son, Franklin was a big test to his faith in God.

When he was asked about advise on preaching and prayer he said, “Don’t preach too long. Don’t say long blessings before meals.”

I felt that he was so down to earth. He did not have a big ego. He was a humble man. He didn’t call a lot of attention to himself. He placed the attention where it should be, on Jesus. I liked his sincerity.

The host during that interview told him that he didn’t have any skeletons in his closet because if he had the media would have found them. Oh, so true! There is no privacy for public figures today.

A song for my sister, fighting cancer now:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmTmTMcdxOs

It's not over yet, keep on fighting!!!

Thank you for your prayers!

And, to caregivers who have hit their limit.....

It's Not Over Yet
for KING & COUNTRY
And they are inside your head
You got a voice that says
You won't get past this one
You won't win your freedom
It's like a constant war
And you want to settle that score
But you're bruised and beaten
And you feel defeated
This goes out to the heaviest heart
Oh, to everyone who's hit their limit
It's not over yet
It's not over yet
And even when you think you're finished
It's not over yet
It's not over yet
Keep on fighting
Out of the dark
Into the light
It's not over
Hope is rising
Never give in
Never give up
It's not over
Yet, woah
Yet, woah
Oh, game set match
It's time to put it in your past, oh
Feel the winter leavin'
It's redemption season
Long live the young at heart (here we are)
Cheers to a brand new start (here we are)
We're revived and breathing
To live a life of freedom
Oh, to everyone who's hit their limit
It's not over yet
It's not over yet
And even when you think you're finished
It's not over yet
It's not over yet
Keep on fighting
Out of the dark
Into the light
It's not over
Hope is rising
Never give in
Never give up
It's not over
Yet, woah
Yet, woah
And life is a race we run
So run till the race is won
Don't you ever give up (here we are)
Oh no never give up (here we are)
Life is a race we run
So run till the race is won
Don't you ever give up (here we are)
We will never give up (here we are)
And oh, to everyone who's hit their limit
And even when you think you're finished
It's not over yet
Oh, to everyone who's hit their limit
It's not over yet
It's not over yet
And even when you think you're finished
It's not over yet
It's not over yet
Keep on fighting
Out of the dark
Into the light
It's not over
Hope is rising
Never give in
Never give up
It's not over
Yet, woah
Yet, woah
Yet, woah
Yet, woah

Thank you Send....I needed that~

I want to thank you all for your encouraging words and prayers. I have definitely needed them.

This last couple of weeks have been trying to say the least.

We have been trying to help my cousin and his family. We relocated them to a town near us. And it has been a financial and emotional strain. But God is getting us through.

I will spare all the details, but I have learned from aging care about boundaries. And this week with the wonderful help of DH and with much guilt had to set some boundaries.

Unfortunately, I was becoming a babysitter and with my load already it was rough. Only because the oldest had behavior issues due to lack of parenting and discipline. But when her parents were she was not as difficult. But we had to work with her and teach her. So she is doing better and I love the kids, but Moms BP was skyrocketing when they were around for long periods of time, and she is my priority over them. Unfortunately after the child would go with her parents and come back, we would have to teach her all over again. DH talked to their Dad and showed him how to parent his children. Whether he listens or not, we shall see.

Cousin and his DW started going to church with us. And beautiful thing, we always pray before meals and hold hands, the oldest girl was having a snack and she said we have to hold hands and pray. So I am hopeful that our influence on them will help.

The problem came when the children were staying here 24/7 almost. And I told DH as much as I love children (ages almost 4, 2, and 4 months)and really want to teach them, Mom is not able to tolerate it for that long.
So boundaries were set.

It has been 3 days now, that they have had to be responsible for their kids. I have felt so guilty. But DH tells me, the kids are their responsibilities, not yours you have enough. You can help when you are up to it, but I am not going to let them take advantage and wear you out. (I love him, he has absolutely been amazing in all this, especially to me)

Cousins DW got a job. And cousin has had to watch the children alone. He is having a harder time finding work because unfortunately in his past he chose to put a tattoo on his face. But we have been hiring him to do work around here. I got him an interview wednesday, praying he gets hired.

And I was so proud of my church family for loving on them when they came and not judging him on his tattoos. Because we shouldn't. But they made me so proud and cousin cried from an overwhelming welcome, it was lovely.

So we only let him come work here, when she is not working so that she has to watch her children.

These two have had no instruction or example on how to be parents. DH are counselling them and also will be studying the bible with them.
I want so bad to go straight to the rod of correction :) jk

Cousin is truly set on changing his life and learning, he has been absorbing all that we try and teach him. But cousins DW, I don't know......... I am hoping and praying.
But it has been trying because I take on others emotions and want so bad to always make everyones life better. I am learning to leave that to God.

But if it wasn't for this site and all the boundary talk I would be completely at my whits end. But Moms BP is normal now and I plan on keeping it that way.

So that is the short version.

You know after all this I told DH, Mom and AB are so easy now that I see how it can be so much harder.
Maybe this was the Lords way to help me see the load he gave me, could be worse, and I should be grateful for all things.

thanks for being here
Much love and prayers to you all
I have missed you and now maybe I get to be back.
:)



Psalms 19:14 
Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.

Smeshque: When you told us about the cousin, his DW and 3 children, I thought that it may wear you out to the literal bone. I had this sense that it would be impossible for you to do it all. I know you love to help people and you do great things, BUT you cannot do it all! I am glad that you knew you had to set boundaries. Oh, dear - your mother's BP must come down. I knew a man who had facial tattoos. It is good that you have shown them the way to the Lord through church and other things. Your DH - I want to give him high praise for helping YOU. Because marriage is joint effort. I do hope that the cousin's DW can learn the parenting skills with such young children. That is the prime time to teach at such young ages.
Prayers to you and I must stop now.💞💞💞💞

If you and when if ever you get on an airplane, the airplane people.. employees, airplane isle people, what ever their title is nowadays, they go through emergency WHAT-IF this happens, and where the ER pillows are... etc... Oxygen masks...

they say, put YOUR mask on first, then help your family.. kid etc...

If you ain't breathing, then your loved ones will not get help from you.

You are correct, I do not travel much, if at all nowadays...Been a number of years since I've been on a plane.

Trying to get back in our own groove has been a challenge. But I am feeling less guilty, about not constantly watching Cousins children.
Yesterday after services cousins DW had to go to work, so I took the children for lunch. We came back to the house had lunch, and praise time, then it was back to the evening service.
The oldest girl started acting up, Mom is always tired on Sundays as we have a long day, so I told DH lets take the kids home. We had planned to take them back to evening service with us, but I was not going to put Mom through that.
So we dropped them off at home with cousin.
He has been with the 3 kids by himself for about 3 days, while his wife is working.
The thing about this whole thing. Is these are not his biological children, but he has taken on the role of Dad and is trying to do his best, but still has so much to learn. He loves them very much and he does most of the parenting, even when she is around, he does everything for the kids.
Tomorrow his wife is not working, so we are going to give him a break from the kids and hire him to do some things around here.
He has a job interview Wednesday and I am praying he gets it. Because if he gets it, then in a few weeks they will be able to maintain their own bills and rent.

We are studying with them and counseling them on things. DH and i fear they will not stay together, but I hope they prove us wrong. But it will not be because cousin is not trying.
But God can work wonders on people, DH and I are proof of that.
Anyway, it is super cold here.
I hope you all are staying warm.


 
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Titus 2:13

Just heard on the news Pete Frate died. Sad. He certainly raised a ton of awareness for ALS, didn’t he with his ice bucket challenge. I said prayers for his family. He leaves a wife a daughter behind. He was only 34.

Smeshque,

Your cousin is blessed to have you and your husband. You are right to place it all in God’s hands because no one can force someone to do what may be best for them.

I will say a prayer that he finds work soon. Glad he is lining up interviews. That’s a good sign. Hopeful. Best wishes to you and your family.

Don’t over extend yourself. You have your own responsibilities.

Thank you NHWM!
I've read so many times on here, NO is a complete sentence.
Trying to not feel guilty for saying it.
I am blessed DH does not have any problem saying it. So he told me he will say it for me, just let him know when.😊
He has really been amazing me throughout all this. Showing such concern for my well being. It's very nice to see.

Smeshque: I am ever so grateful for your wonderful DH. As your partner in marriage, he is beyond a wonderful, Godly man. I am glad that you are getting back in the groove and saying "No" to babysitting. I do worry about your mother.

Please pray for me. I've just found out that I lost two dear friends that were close in age to me. I found out on the same day - today. So it makes it even more difficult for me. Susan (age 75 at time of death) - I heard from her husband by mail today w/o details. Louise (age 72 at time of death) suffered horribly from endometrial cancer - her sister in law kindly telephoned me. Thank you.

So sorry Llama. 72 seems so young today. It’s so hard to hear of friends dying.

People live so long now. Kirk Douglas just turned 103! His wife is 100! They must be doing something right. Look up his recent photos. He actually looks pretty good!

Need: Thank you! What struck me hard is that I am 72! Thanks, but I will have to look up Kirk Douglas' photo on another day than today. Too sad.

So sorry for your losses Llama!

Gershun: Thank you very much.

Llama.

I understand. I didn’t necessarily mean today.

Seventy two isn’t old in my opinion. It shakes us up when we hear of people our age dying.

Llama,
Sorry for your loss of two friends.

It is a full moon at 99.1% gibbous, so I need to go put my jammies on and get under the covers before I say something insensitive to others on aging care tonight. I really do love everyone on here. My words get carried away but you will be comforted with prayers tonight.

Goodnight everyone!

Llama, I am sorry for your loss. It is so hard when we lose the people we love.🙏💞


I pray that our Lord gives you and the family of the decease comfort and strength in the name of Jesus our Savior.

Hugs!

Ll- so very sorry my dear Friend.
Praying for you, Dear Lady.
🤗🤗🤗

Ever think why Jesus was born in a stable?
Because he is the lamb of God.
Ever think why he was in a manger?
Because he is the bread of life,


Food for thought...........