Endings....Beginnings...

This summer has certainly been a full one! Not real sure that I've even had summer, still waiting for it to begin! However, time marches on and I find myself almost to the end of September!

Endings...began when the reality of this nasty business of getting old invaded a wonderful afternoon with my Dad. While enjoying the "Granny's Tea" at the nursing home, a code blue was announced and a flurry of activity began to swirl around a little old lady in a wheel chair. She was slumped forward and looking quite blue. After a few brief moments of chaos they wheeled her in her chair out of the recreation area. "Fred" a resident told us the next day that "they took someone out that night". I went to my room that night and sobbed myself to sleep, knowing that this is the last place on this earth for those most of those residents, for my Dad.

Endings...the drug protocol my Dad was on to help halt the progression of Alzheimer’s. We were told would see a rapid decline in memory shortly -- but the meds were not doing good any longer, he only scored a 3/30 on his yearly assessment.

Endings...Mom was down to visit us for three weeks!! It was wonderful to have her here. She enjoyed it thoroughly and it enabled her to have some time away and make some decisions that needed to be made. She's made the decision to find her own apartment -- we are praying the Lord would provide this for her quickly and affordably. She has sacrificed her whole life and I'm praying the Lord would just bless her with the right place, for the right price and that she would just love it!! Mom is looking forward to moving, there have been several significant changes in her housing and this needs to happen, and happen soon!

Beginnings...My visit home concluded with the celebration of one of our flower girls wedding. The beginning of a new family. It was a delightful outdoor ceremony in the country. It was so wonderful to see so many of my cousins and aunts and uncles...it made me ache for my family. That longing of wanting to be closer to my family, being able to get together with them more often...that sense of community I've still not found down here -- may never find here on earth.

Beginnings...The school year has brought many changes. Watching my boys change into young men -- especially the older two. They've been lifting weights, shaving more, deeper voices, more responsible....They are not my little boys anymore. But it has been fun to watch them begin to develop their identity and "find their place" with their friends, school, family.

Beginnings...Home school! Emily-Joy and I have certainly enjoyed this venture! It is a learning process for both of us, but we are slowly developing into a routine and certainly accomplishing a lot in these past few weeks. We are so excited to be headed down this road! I have my little girl back for a little longer. Watching the stress and tension release from her as she realized she was not going back to regular school! She has started wearing dresses again and playing with her toys...she misses some of her friends, and we are certainly looking forward to having them over, at the same time she is looking forward to making some new friends in the home school community.

And here we are, about to begin autumn! Where did summer go? I did not have one! Ack! Not ready for fall, but here it comes. I find myself looking to the Lord to be: "my strong tower. My fortress when I'm weak." I only want to see His face and not all that is before me. I need my Father's strength to get me through this season. A season that holds so many "what ifs"! But really: "WHAT IF"?? Is the Lord not in control? There is a perfect ending one day, until then this chapter may not end perfectly, but: "When times are good, be happy; but when times are bad, consider: God has made the one as well as the other." (Eclesiastes7:14A) I look forward to the perfect ending, until then I will keep living one chapter at a time!