Grateful Caregiver

“Find a good spouse, you find a good life— and even more: the favor of God!” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18‬:‭22‬ ‭MSG‬‬ I, [Name], take you, [Name], to be my lawfully wedded [husband/wife], to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part" I have been married for nearly 30 years, and we have truly lived out each vow we made to one another. The most difficult one has been dealing with sickness. Witnessing my spouse confront a serious illness is incredibly challenging. In the past decade, my husband has faced multiple serious health issues, resulting in five hospital stays. Fortunately, he has triumphed over every challenge. My time as a caregiver has been somewhat limited lately. I often joke with my husband that his life is like a cat with nine lives.  Although my caregiving role is not extensive, I occasionally assist him with making appointments, attending appointments and deali...

But while Peter was walking on the water, he saw the wind and the waves. He was afraid and began sinking into the water. He shouted, “Lord, save me!” Then Jesus caught Peter with his hand. He said, “Your faith is small.  Matthew 14:30 This passage serves as a beautiful reminder of God's ability to empower us during difficult times. I often feel like Peter walking on water throughout this caregiving journey. I am taking each day as it comes, striving not to dwell on the storms of adversity, but rather placing my trust in God as my sole anchor along the way. In March 2024, my mom chose to stop chemotherapy to prioritize quality of life. Choosing hospice care. I had begun retirement planning considering retiring at 57 or 62, but my mom's illness shifted my focus away from planning towards be present with her. Time feels fleeting, and I take each day as it comes, praying for more time, yet finding peace most days. Currently, I'm reading a book titled "I Heard God Laugh....

A mind control by the flesh is death, but a mind control by the spirit is life . Romans 8:6  Balancing emotions  On this day, I needed to prepare for my coaching session with my first coaching client.  My aim was to review the materials provided by my instructor back in September and create a template of questions.  However, the responsibilities of caregiving were weighing heavily on me. I had administered my mom's medication, provided her with a meal and although she wanted to take a shower, I realized I didn’t have the time. Instead, I suggested a sponge bath. I felt guilty for not being able to indulge her. Unfortunately, my approach in communicating this came across as rushed and demanding, treating her more like a child rather than the adult she is.  I had to later apologize.  During a recent bible study zoom meeting, the facilitator talked about emotional intelligence. I was very familiar with this term. We had extensive training on this at my work pl...