Vacation! What a lovely word because it conjures up all kinds of pleasant feelings: getting away from it all, no work, relaxation, having fun, contentment.

I had been looking forward to this vacation since January. I must confess, that eight months ago, August seemed a lifetime away, like it would never come. But it did and now it's gone and in the past. 

It was bittersweet because it was another first to be experienced: the first time I was on vacation without Andy. He always added that element of fun and craziness to our vacations, and I couldn't help but miss that. But the sweet part was being with Christy and her gang. I am so grateful they invited me to join them.

I like to keep a record of each day's happenings while away. As the memories fade, we can refer back to that record for details we may forget.

I left work on Friday, August 11, finished packing, then drove to Harleysville to stay overnight at Christian and Christy's. We all went out to eat and while sitting at dinner, Christy mentioned that she couldn't find Claire's passport. It suddenly hit me that I had not packed my own passport. It was still in the safe at home. There was nothing to be done, but drive back home and get it. Fortunately, it was still early enough, and I was so relieved that we had thought of it before leaving the next day or when we got to the Canadian border a week later. 

Saturday morning, August 12, we woke early and left at 4:00 am, stopping at 8:00 for breakfast and at 1:00 for lunch. I drove my own car the whole way and averaged 59-60 mpg (I'm happy to say!). Several of the kids rode with me which helped to pass the time. We finally arrived in Eastport, Maine at 6:00 pm, to a house Christy had reserved through Airbnb.

Eastport, Maine...looking across to Canada

On the way to our house, we passed Cornerstone Church, so we decided to attend on Sunday morning. I'm glad we did. It was a small church but with good preaching and friendly people. As the pastor was saying Amen to his closing prayer, my phone buzzed. (Fortunately, I had put it on silent mode.) When I looked to see the caller id, I was somewhat apprehensive to notice it was Care One. But I answered and the nurse said everything was ok, but Andy wanted to talk to me. I guess he wanted to hear my voice because he didn't say much, just answered my questions. I couldn't help but wonder if I was going to hear from him throughout the two weeks I'd be gone, but as it turned out, he didn't call again.

After our lunch on Sunday, we spent several hours on the beach. It's a rocky beach, typical Maine, with no sand. The kids spent time in the kayaks but didn't have a lot of fun on the beach itself until they got the idea to build rock castles instead of sand castles. 

It's not a very comfortable beach to lie on. I'm very glad I brought my own chair.

The next day we drove into Canada across the International Bridge to spend the day at Roosevelt's Campobello "cottage." We did an interactive fun tour of the house and grounds and ate our lunch there. It was a beautiful spot. 

 

The kids and Christian played croquet on the front lawn. On the tour, we learned that FDR was quite a pianist and loved music. In one of the neighboring cottages, there was a Bluthner piano, a rare, exclusive piano made in Germany. The Bluthner family has hand made these pianos for more than 160 years. It is the piano of choice of many of the great late 19th century/early 20th century classical composers including Debussy, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, Ravel, and others. As part of our tour, the guide asked if one of us in the group would like to play something on the piano for the rest of us. We all encouraged Asher to do the honors and he did - beautifully.

After the tour, we explored more of the island, found a beach and camped out there for a while so the kids could throw rocks into the water. There was no problem finding rocks.

The next day, Asher said his muscles ached and he thought it was from all the rocks he had thrown the day before. I can believe it.

Our second day of vacation began with thick fog, so thick we couldn't see the beach from our house. It was also damp and dreary so we decided to spend the day in town. Our first stop was the Mustard Museum. Ray's Mustards is the only cold pressed mustard processing plant in the US and possibly the world. I personally am not a fan of mustard, but Christy was excited about all different flavors that were available.

By the time we left the mustard museum, the fog had lifted but it was still cloudy, so we went to the Eastport Library for Christy to check her emails on their wi-fi. The children's section of the library was a hit with the kids who were all too ready to settle in.

The following day was gorgeous and we fit a lot into it. Shackford Head State Park was close by with the promise of a nice hike through woods. But the area was infested with red fire ants, even the parking lot was covered with them. We started hiking on the trail but after one or two of us got bit by those pests, we decided to leave and try a different place.

We drove an hour to Cobscook Bay State Park - much better - no ants and beautiful views right on the water. We hiked about 1/2 mile through woods with the smell of balsam, coming out to the sea which then added the smell of salt water. We ate our lunch looking out on the water. Christy finished first and decided to hike over to another higher rocky area.

After she got over there, the rest of us decided to join her. What we didn't know until we were well on our way, was that the lower in-between section was deceptively wet. The mud sucked at our shoes and it was hard to get our footing. I was pretty nervous that I was going to lose my balance and fall, getting not only my shoes muddy but the rest of me, too. But Christian was helpful and gave me a hand. Once over there, we all had a good time watching the kids, what else? - throw rocks into the water! Of course, we did eventually have to cross back over. Christy had worn sandals, so her feet as well as her shoes were caked in mud!

We were grateful that the house we were staying in had a washer and dryer, so when we got back, everyone's shoes got thrown in and washed.

Our next stop was the Quoddy Head State Park. There was a picturesque light house with a visitor center and a lovely trail down to the beach where we had such fun playing on the rocks and getting some good pictures. 

One of the things that we all were amused by was the boast of the area as the "eastern most...in the U.S." Eastport is the eastern most city, Lubec is the eastern most town. We passed a sign for a campground that maintained it was the eastern most campground. In town, we stopped at the eastern most candy store. The kids had a lot of fun picking out tasty ways to spend their money.

On Friday of our first week, we stayed close to the house, playing games with the kids, reading and sitting on the beach. The kids kayaked and threw rocks in the water. In the evening we decided to check out Old Sow, supposedly the biggest whirlpool in the western hemisphere, caused by high tides. It was difficult to get a good view because of private homes on the shore.


"The shape of the Bay of Fundy between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick acts like a funnel. When ocean water flows through the mouth it gets funnelled to the far end of the bay where the water steadily rises as the bay narrows. The gravitational pull of the moon also affects these tides. The Bay of Fundy has one of the greatest range in the world between low tide and high tide -- up to 17 meters."  

This makes for interesting and unique phenomena in the area. Another of those is the Reversing Falls. Because of the significant rise and fall of the tides, the water goes in one direction going toward high tide, then reverses direction as it goes toward low tide. We got up early on Friday, August 18 so we could go witness when the tide changed. There are several places to watch this happen, but we went to a spot that was remote. When we got there, seals were diving and cavorting in the water, eagles were flying from tree to tree and calling to each other, and we saw several loons, as well. We were the only people at that location until a man and his dog joined us.

It was a fitting end to our time in Maine for the next day we continued north to Prince Edward Island. We had been hoping to stop along the way at the Hopewell Rocks on the Bay of Fundy but the weather did not cooperate. It was rainy and windy the whole day long. We were happy, though, that we were in the car and didn't lose out on beach time!

Christy had reserved another Airbnb house on Prince Edward Island and it was very nice, right on the beach with an unobstructed view of the ocean. The kids didn't waste any time in exploring the beach for critters and playing in the water.

We visited a couple of touristy places during the week, the Bottle houses, the Anne of Green Gables site and the potato museum.

Anne and Diana accommodated us by posing with us!

Lake of Shining Waters

Lover's Lane

White Sands Hotel

 

But other days we were happy just to stay put enjoying the water, sand and relaxing. Prince Edward Island is a magical place with its red sand, green grass and dazzlingly blue ocean and skies. The sunsets over the ocean were amazing.

All in all, it was a wonderful time away, and I am very grateful for the Lord's gifting me with family, time away, adventures and his beautiful creation.

I was concerned in how Andy would be affected by my being gone so long, but when I continued my visits this week, he didn't mention anything about it. He doesn't seem to have a concept of time, so this was another gift to me.  

Kira's birthday was last Friday and she was excited about spending an overnight with me at my house. We arranged for me to go pick her up after I visited with Andy on Monday night. It is so nice to have another person in the house to interact with. We watched a movie together, then cuddled while I read several stories to her before bed.

On Tuesday morning we drove over to Target for her to pick out her birthday present, then went to visit with Andy. Dawn met us there with her other kids.

Andy and Cole really connect. Andy is still the "helper," jumping in to meet the needs of the little ones. I love how his personality bent still manifests itself in spite of his illness. He saw Cole struggling to feed himself and was right there to help him. It's also amazing that Cole "let" him because he typically wants to feed himself. I love this picture of tenderness and sweetness.

 

I brought Kira back with me for the rest of the day and spent the afternoon at our neighbor's house so she could play with the little girls next door. Those girls often ask me to let Kira have a play date with them, but I'm not Kira's mommy so I don't have much say in whether or not Kira can play with them. But this time, it worked out that they could play and play and play. I hung out with the mom - which was a treat for me, as well.

Andy is finally starting to feel better after getting the med situation resolved. He has been on antibiotics now for a week, and in fact, should be finished with that round today. He will now be on a maintenance drug to keep the bacteria under control. 

He looks better but still has the significant tremors. I'm not sure that will ever be resolved but the doctor is trying a different med for that, as well. We'll see how that develops.

I've really resonated with the grief share emails I received this week. Earlier I read the following:

Can you truly say that God is good?
“One of the worst things you can do as a Christian is to go around with this plasticized mask on saying, ‘I love God, and He’s so good,’ when your heart is breaking inside,” says Dr. Joseph Stowell.
“Sometimes you may say, ‘God is good,’ with tears running down your cheeks, but He is good, and He will see you through, and He never wastes your sorrows. He didn’t waste the sorrows of His Son on the cross. He won’t waste your sorrows. He, by His magnificent power, will transform them into that which is good—that which brings gain to the kingdom and glory to His name.”
Everything God does is good. Believe this with your heart, and hold on to this truth for unfailing strength in times of sorrow.

Oh yes...I've been there with the tears running down my cheeks, even though God is good. I could write pages and pages on how good God is to me. Just one example from this week is the way he took care of something that was nagging at the back of my mind. Earlier in the summer, Tommy had trimmed my bushes along the driveway. They looked so good when he was finished. But by now, several months had elapsed and the bushes were looking ragged again. So I'm wondering if I should ask him to come over again or if I should ask someone else. You know, spread the wealth! I mulled this over for a couple of days and finally the Lord reminded me that Andy's friend, Dan, had told me that any time I needed any help around the house, just call him. Then my next thought was the memory that one time, Andy had told me that Dan loves to trim bushes. It was like a light bulb went on in my head. I texted Dan and he gladly and promptly made arrangements to come over to trim those bushes. He brought his 10 year old son and they did the job in a matter of an hour or so. The bushes look so much better and every time, I drive in and out of the driveway, I am reminded of God's provision: in friends who are eager to help, and his ideas on how I can get the jobs done that I can't do myself.

Another evidence of God's goodness is the ability he has given me to get outside, the strength and health to be able to work on my property. The last couple of days have been so pleasant so I've spent hours out there, picking up sticks, and "cleaning up" - happy things for me.

And several mornings ago, I looked out my back kitchen window and thought I saw a deer in the neighbor's yard. I grabbed my phone and went out to see how close I could get. 

That was a blessing. I love to see deer. At least, I did that day. The next day as I was opening my shades, I was shocked to see my hosta plants that were now leafless. I guess the deer found them during the night and had a little snack. So let me edit that statement about my loving to see deer. Actually, I do still love to see them, I just don't love when they eat my plants.

My poor hostas. :(

I don't know if anyone else struggles with guilt like I do. I hear about other people doing certain things and I wonder if I'm doing enough. I know there are people with loved ones at Care One who are with their spouses all day long. So that makes me wonder if I am with Andy long enough. Then there are others who care for their loved ones at home in spite of unbelievable obstacles they deal with daily/hourly: changing diapers, dressing, changing clothes, bathing, hand feeding that takes hours per meal, etc. 

Then the Lord led me to a wonderfully freeing verse in Scripture: 1 John 3:19-20 ~
"This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."

How often have I read 1 John but the truth of these verses never hit me like they did in this my specific hour of need. I can rest in his presence, even when my heart condemns me because God is greater than my heart. I need to remember that Jesus is not the Accuser, he always lives to intercede for me and on my behalf. I need to trust that he is leading me in my situation and not comparing me to others. It was so obvious that he led us to place Andy in Care One when we did, and if I experience doubts and self-condemnation, I need to remember that those do not come from the Lord. 

Every year I read through the whole Bible and this year, I decided to read with a red pen handy. Every time I read about God's love for his people, I underline that phrase and thought in red. I've noticed that often God's love is not only mentioned, but is described as unfailing. God's unfailing love! So far I'm still only in the Psalms but I have lots of red lines to remind me that God is love.


Yes, God is good. I believe it with all my heart, even though sometimes the things I experience in this life don't feel good. It's hard to explain to someone else, but it's in hard times that we experience God's all sufficiency. He is the Rock on which we stand, our firm foundation, our Hope, our Shelter in the time of storm, our Strength, our Joy, our Peace, our All in All.

Psalm 119:68 ~ "You are good and what you do is good."

We were sitting in the waiting room at the doctor's office on Friday afternoon, when I noticed Andy's restlessness. It didn't take me too long to wonder if he was suffering with another infection. We were at the doctor for a scheduled cystoscopy, but this was a development that made me wonder if the procedure would take place. Andy continued to be agitated and in distress. He wanted to leave, but I was able to talk him into staying. He seemed to feel more at peace with the promise that the doctor was going to see him and take care of him. 

Sure enough, the culture results revealed an infection, so the cystoscopy had to be rescheduled. The doctor prescribed an antibiotic, calling it into the pharmacy and I took Andy back to Care One. I spoke to the nurse there, filling her in on what had developed and that an antiobiotic had been called in. She said the pharmacy usually delivered the medicine to the facility and probably Andy would be able to take his first pill that evening yet.

Well, that did not happen. When I visited on Saturday, he still hadn't taken any medicine, he was still in distress and very uncomfortable. In talking to the nurse (a different nurse from the evening before), I explained the situation to her and she said she would call the pharmacy to see what had happened to the medicine. Believe it or not, the pharmacy was closed. They close at 3:00 on Saturday and are not open on Sunday either. Grrrrr. 

How is this possible? The pharmacy that the nursing home uses is closed on the weekend??? 

This morning at church, I told a couple of people this situation and one of them, a nurse, advised me to call Andy's doctor, explain what I was dealing with, and ask him to call in the prescription to a different pharmacy. So I did. The doctor I spoke to was very accommodating and said he would call in the prescription that Andy needed.  I expected to get a text from the pharmacy when the prescription was filled, but when I didn't, I gave them a call. I was told the prescription could not be filled because insurance rejected it. It had been filled by a different pharmacy. Talk about a run-around. But when I explained the situation to the pharmacist, he said I could pay for the medicine myself since it was only $9.99. Ok - I can handle that. 

I was finally able to get the medicine Andy needs and took it over to Care One and the nurse said she would start him on it. (I called just now to check on her and she assured me she had given him his first pill.) What a saga!

Earlier this week, I received an email from Grief Share. I am including it below.

Sometimes when you ask why, He answers by reminding you of the eternal picture. Learn to live your life in light of eternity. Live each day from the perspective of one whose life lasts forever.
Dr. Joseph Stowell says, “I can’t underscore enough how important it is to prepare for grief and sorrow ahead of time. One of the ways to do that is to get a grip on eternity, on the world to come. Learn to live here in the light of there so that you are seeing all of your daily affairs and daily routines in light of the world to come. You need to see all of your interactions and reactions and value systems in light of the value systems of the world to come. Then when grief or sudden loss or wrenching sorrow and deep disappointment shatter your world, you are already schooled in all the realities that give you strength in that moment.”
There is much more to this life than just doing your best day by day until you die. The big picture is that a glorious eternity is in store for those who know the saving grace of Jesus Christ.
“Surely there is a future, and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18 nasb).
“And this is what he promised us—even eternal life” (1 John 2:25).

 My heart is so heavy for Andy's distress, but I keep reminding him and myself that this is only temporary. We should not be surprised by the pain and sorrow we experience. This is common to us all. But the good news is that some day it will all be over. 

Then this morning's email from grief share also was a good reminder to rest in the sovereignty of God:

Because God sees your real need, He wants to give you an answer far better than the answers you seek. You may demand reasons and explanations, but what you need is something more—you need the Lord.
“For in him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
Think about the astounding reality of this Bible verse. God is all-sufficient for you. Your very being is in Him. You need Him for survival; you do not need answers.
Joni Eareckson Tada says, “Because God is at the center of the universe holding it all together, and because everything in Him moves and breathes and has its being, He can do no more than give Himself. To do anything less is to be less than Himself. Why seek pat, dry, formulized answers when you can actually receive the flesh-and-blood reality of the love of God?”
God would not be God if He were not sufficient for everyone.

And that is what we constantly need to be reminded of:  Christ is enough; He is more than enough.

Our youngest daughter, Amy, is very good at getting us all together. A couple weeks ago, she said it was time again. So we were able to come up with a date - today! Everyone was able to make it down to our house for dinner together. I was pretty excited to see the weather was going to be beautiful - a nice warm, but not hot, summer evening - perfect for eating outside on the deck.

Christy was able to get here earlier than everyone else, so we decided to go see Andy before dinner. In spite of the fact he hadn't been feeling well all weekend, he looked like he was doing pretty good. He greeted everyone with waves and hugs, then we sat in Care One's conference room and listened to Grace play her violin. She is so good and a pleasure to listen to.

The music was a hit with all the residents, not just Andy and us. Plus, everyone also enjoyed the two puppies they brought along. I have noticed that Andy gives us a broad hint when he's had enough. He tires easily and can only take it so much, then he'll say, "Well, I've got to get going." That's the clue that we need to get going! If I then ask him if he's tired and wants to go back to his room, he agrees that yes, that's what he means.

Having my family here with me this evening was such a blessing after the stress with Andy's medicine. The kids had fun playing together, the adults enjoyed each other's company, I love serving them and feeding them and providing a place for them to hang out.

Several weeks ago I was feeling lonely in church. When I expressed this to a friend, she suggested that it might be better for me to spend more time at church, surrounding myself with friends. She reminded me that weekends seem interminable by myself, and staying at church longer than just an hour might be helpful.

So for the last couple of weeks, I've been attending an adult SS class at 9:30, then the church service at 11:00. This gives me more time hanging out with people I know, as well as sitting under good teaching. I have been pleasantly surprised by the SS class. The teacher has been excellent, and I've been enjoying the subject matter. He is currently teaching on the Psalms. 

I love the Psalms...they're my "go-to" reading material when I am feeling low. Something I hadn't heard before on the psalms is that the Bible is God's inspired Word to us, but the psalms are our words and feelings to God. Yes, they're still the inspired Word of God, but they express the very human and sometimes, earthy feelings we have as we face difficult circumstances. The Psalmist expresses frustration, anger, despair, depression, happiness, grief, praise - a whole gamut of emotions. Because God included these expressions in His Word, it gives legitimacy to our own emotions. 

For instance, Psalm 6 resonated with me a couple of evenings ago where David says his soul is in anguish. He says he is faint and his bones are in agony, he is worn out with groaning and floods his bed all night with weeping. His couch is drenched in tears. His eyes grow weak with sorrow. But even though he enumerates in great detail his anguish, he doesn't leave God out of the equation. He remembers that the Lord hears his prayer when he asks for mercy and deliverance. 

And then there are Psalms 42 and 43 where the psalmist speaks to himself, asking three times why he is downcast. "Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?" Then he answers himself by admonishing himself to "Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God." This is the only way to climb out of the pit of despair, to take our eyes off ourselves and our situation and look to Jesus. He's where our hope lies. He is our HOPE.

I love the Casting Crowns song: O My Soul:
Oh, my soul
Oh, how you worry
Oh, how you're weary from fearing
You lost control
This was the one thing
You didn't see coming
And no one would blame you though
If you cried in private
If you tried to hide it away
So no one knows
No one will see
If you stop believing

 [Chorus]
Oh, my soul
You are not alone
There's a place where fear
Has to face the God you know
One more day
He will make a way
Let Him show you how
You can lay this down
'Cause you're not alone

[Verse 2]
Here and now
You can be honest
I won't try to promise
That someday it all works out
'Cause this is the valley
And even now
He is breathing on your dry bones
And there will be dancing
There will be beauty where beauty was
Ash and stone
This much I know

 [Bridge]
I'm not strong enough
I can't take anymore
You can lay it down
You can lay it down
And my shipwrecked faith
Will never get me to shore
You can lay it down
You can lay it down
Can he find me here?
Can he keep me, from going under?
Written by: JOHN MARK HALL, BERNIE HERMS  Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group

I love that phrase: "there's a place where fear has to face the God you know." God's perfect love casts out fear. He is not the author of fear and if we are his child, we are no longer a slave of fear. God loves me perfectly and I don't need to fear the future or the uncertainties of that future.

I had a busy week. I don't think I could have fit one more thing into my schedule on Tuesday. I had a hair appointment first thing, then met Dawn and kids at Care One to visit Andy, went to a friend's house for lunch, had a Dr. appointment for myself at 3:15, went back to visit Andy again at dinner time, then met Dawn at Starbucks to hang out for an hour or so. Whew!

Andy's appointment on Wednesday went well. He was pretty lethargic, walking very slowly and not at all agitated. I know people were praying about that outing and I'm very grateful. I was thinking he was getting an MRI, but as it turned out, it was a CT scan instead. The MRI is what makes him claustrophobic, so I was happy he didn't have to have that test. The technicians and nurses prepping him for the testing were kind and patient with him, but he was so unresponsive to their requests to slide down or position himself differently on the table. I helped with him as long as I could before I needed to leave for the actual test itself (for my own protection).

Yesterday I drove up to Christy's house so we could make plans for our vacation. We planned our menu for the two weeks we'll be together, as well as checked out things to do in the places we'll be staying. 

While there, I was able to play a couple of games with the kids. I played Phase 10 with Claire. I won every hand and she was writing down our scores after each hand. She would write down a 0 for me, then giggle. It was so cute. I assured her that in another year or so, she would start beating me at games, just like her older brothers and sisters do. She insisted she didn't want her older sister to help her, which helped me to keep winning!

Last night when I visited Andy, he was actually feeling pretty good. He was almost like his old self. But tonight was a different story again. His tremors wouldn't stop and he said he felt so awful. He again brought up about going to "be with Jesus." I can't help but feel so bad for him. I also almost feel guilty that I feel so good and I'm having a great time with family and friends. But even though I'm enjoying my life, I do miss him being a part of it. I don't like leaving him at Care One even though he is getting good care, and I know it's where he needs to be. 

When he first moved there, he would say it doesn't seem right for us to be living in separate places. Well, that's how I feel, too. But I keep reminding us both that he's in God's hands and God is right there with him, as He is with me, too.

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.
My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
My tears have been my food day and night, while men say to me all day long, 
'Where is your God?'
These things I remember as I pour out my soul; 
how I used to go with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God, 
with shouts of joy and thanksgiving among the festive throng.
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? 
Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God.
By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me - a prayer to the God of my life."
Psalm 42:1-5, 8)

As much as I enjoy hiking, I try not to do too much of it in the summer because of the heat and humidity, as well as the bugs. But this week, a friend was in town and since we both enjoy hiking and the NJ Pine Barrens, we put it on our schedule. We started out early enough and went over to Black Run Preserve since she had never been there. We hiked the 5K trail at a pretty good pace (but not jogging, of course!). By the time we ended, it was pretty humid and oppressive, and we were thankful to get in my car and turn on the AC.

Since I don't do a lot of summer hiking, it was a treat to see the ponds all covered with water lilies.

The rest of the week was pretty routine, which was welcome after the last several weeks of scheduled trips and activities. I went over to see Andy every evening as usual. He had been talking again to me, as well as to a couple of staff members at Care One, that he was ready to "go." At one point, he told me that "this dying is difficult." I couldn't agree with him more. But then I began to wonder if he was getting another UTI. It seems that when he doesn't feel well, he talks about dying. 

At his last urologist appointment, the Dr. had prescribed an antibiotic. I wondered if he was still on it or if he had finished the prescription. So I asked the nurse that question. I was surprised to find that he wasn't on anything and hadn't been since his doctor visit. The nurse called the doctor but since it was Saturday, she only got the emergency answering service. 

I'm trying not to get frustrated, upset and annoyed about this but continue to trust God in every little detail. But I'm going to have to make some calls tomorrow to try to figure this out. Meanwhile, the urologist ordered Andy to get an ultrasound of his kidneys, bladder, urethra. That was already done and the results showed an inflammation on one of his kidneys. The Dr. also wants him to get an MRI done, and we have an appointment for that on Wednesday of this coming week. I will take him in my car. I would appreciate prayers from anyone who is led to pray about this. Andy has always hated MRI's - he is extremely claustrophobic in tight places. I don't know how he will handle it this time. 

The activities director at Care One gave me a book to read earlier in the week, Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. He is a surgeon who has become interested in end of life care and asks a lot of questions regarding the way we (especially Americans and the more civilized western countries) handle being mortal. He says that we spend thousands of dollars to add a few more months or sometimes years, going through all kinds of tests, procedures, surgeries, experimental medications, etc...anything to prolong our lives. In the end, we all will die. 

It made me do a lot of thinking. How should I proceed in my care of Andy? He is suffering, no doubt about it. He tells me any time I ask him how he feels: he feels awful. In my opinion, I'd rather concentrate on easing that suffering, making him comfortable and not trying to prolong his life. The reality is: he has a degenerative disease. He'll never get better.


This all led to feeling pretty inadequate because what does that mean? I am clueless. I'm not good at making decisions, and even when I do make one, I almost always second guess myself. In my opinion, Andy is not doing well. On the other hand, he is still ambulatory. Some of the other residents in the facility use a walker and some are in wheelchairs.

Thankfully, the Spirit of God who indwells me reminded me that I am not on my own. He is my Husband and has this all under control. He knows the end from the beginning. His plans are to give me a future and a hope, not to harm me. I am accepted in the Beloved, He loves me with an everlasting love, His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness. My worth does not depend on me and what I do anyway, it all depends on Jesus and His work on the cross on my behalf. It's true that I am unworthy, but I am clothed in Jesus' righteousness. 

It's good to remember what God says about me:

Romans 8:1 - "There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus."

Colossians 1:22 - "But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation."

2 Corinthians 5:21 - "God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God."

God has also promised to give wisdom when we ask him for it and to always be with us. He is on this journey with me; yes, even through the valley of the shadow of death.

I had so many good conversations with friends this morning at church. How I thank God for the people he's placed in my life to encourage, hug, love, support and pray for me.  

I read an amazing entry in Spurgeon's Morning and Evening this week. He expounded on Genesis 1:5: "And there was evening and there was morning, the first day."

"The evening was 'darkness,' and the morning was 'light,' and yet the two together are called by the name that is given to the light alone! This is somewhat remarkable but it has an exact analogy in spiritual experience. In every believer there is darkness and light, and yet he is not to be named a sinner because there is sin in him, but he is to be named a saint because he possesses some degree of holiness. This will be a most comforting thought to those who are mourning their infirmities and who ask, 'Can I be a child of God while there is so much darkness in me?' Yes; like the 'day,' you do not take your name from evening, but from the morning; and you are spoken of in the Word of God as if you were even now perfectly holy, as you will be soon. You are called the child of light, even though there is darkness in you still. You are named after what is the predominating quality in the sight of God, which will one day be the only principal remaining. Notice that the evening comes first. Naturally we are darkness first in order of time, and the gloom is often first in our mournful apprehension, driving us to cry out in deep humiliation, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner.' The place of the morning is second; it dawns when grace overcomes nature. It is a blessed maxim of John Bunyan, 'That which is last, lasts forever.' That which is first yields in due season to the last; but nothing comes after the last. So though you are naturally darkness, once you become light in the Lord, there is no evening to follow; 'your sun shall no more go down.' The first day in this life is an evening and a morning; but the second day, when we shall be with God forever, shall be a day with no evening, but one, sacred, high, eternal noon."


This is our hope, there is coming a day with no more night. The evening with its darkness and gloom will be gone forever, and we will enjoy eternity in the light of our Lord.

Revelation 21:22-25: "I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. On no day will its gates ever be shut, for there will be no night there."