Thursday, November 11, 2010

Amidst


I awoke in a strange bed. Mother must have heard my stirrings and quiet rustlings because she came shuffling down the hall, early. I read a portion of John 15 to her, "I Am the vine, you are the branches." 

I continually averted her attention from my father, who is currently not with her due to his recent illness, to childhood memories:

churning butter with her grandmother, 
springs of fresh water,
 deep in the country,
 country hams taken from the smokehouse and given to a hungry man who stopped by the porch, 
moustache cups from which Papa drank his coffee,
 and sleeping in the bed with Big Mama and Papa because the bats hitting against the chimney during the night aroused such fright. This personally was my most favorite because she would pat the side of the couch and smile, remembering the comfort.

The conversation ran along with me filling in the missing pieces of words lost.

I prayed, at times tears running down my cheeks, on the drive home that morning. A drive that took me through heavy traffic, where the sunlight danced across the windshield and the sky was so unbelievably clear after a weekend of mindboggling confusion.

He embraced me. 

It is good to be home with my family once again. Doing the routine things with revitalized appreciation.
Entirely different conversations than that of the previous days.

We laughed a lot last night. A hopeful antidote to balance the tears. 

It might possibly be time to add caregiving as a label. A portion of my day is spent with the concerns of my elderly sick parents these days. 

4 comments:

The dB family said...

Thank you for sharing you heart with us, my friend. I am keeping you and your family in my prayers.

Hugs and blessings to you!
Deborah

Carolina Gal said...

The LORD has brought you to mind so many times lately. I will continue to pray for you and your family during this difficult season.

Hill upon Hill said...

This post has such beauty in it, even though it is sad.

crochet lady said...

Stepping into the role of caregiver to your parents is so very challenging. Both of my parents are gone now, but my mother in law, who had a stroke when she was only 52 has been in assisted living for 11 years. My hubby has taken on the role of caregiver to her for all those years, since she is greatly disabled. It has been so very hard.

I pray all the best for you and your family as you work through caring for you parents.

Jen

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