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

A Prayer for the Caregiver
by Bruce McIntyre

Unknown and often unnoticed, you are a hero nonetheless.
For your love, sacrificial, is God at his best.
You walk by faith in the darkness of the great unknown,
And your courage, even in weakness, gives life to your beloved.
You hold shaking hands and provide the ultimate care:
Your presence, the knowing, that you are simply there.
You rise to face the giant of disease and despair,
It is your finest hour, though you may be unaware.
You are resilient, amazing, and beauty unexcelled,
You are the caregiver and you have done well!

(Insert words by me--I think this is oftentimes the epitome of the caregiver).

Smeshque: This post just came up today, but it is 4 days old. So glad that your trip was good. Sorry to hear about issues with your mom. She is still relatively young so perhaps it will pass. I say any mother who is younger than my  late mother (94) is young. Get some rest, dear.



Zephaniah 3:17 The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
Galatians 5:13

True LL-Elohim is faithful and Just. Just as Yeshua is the way the truth and the light.
We had a good day trip for DH birthday. I am pretty tired. Mom had a great time and went to bed early she was tuckered. She has been waking up super early lately, thinking about things she says. But never says what those things are, just things. I worry about her. But put it in the Lords hands. She is very dear to me and I just want her to be spiritually well and physically well, and emotionally well.

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2

Smeshque: You're welcome. Trusteth always in Elohim!

Thank you LL.

Just working on being still....

“Be still, and know that I am God...”
Psalms 46:10

I don't plan to have time to hang onto guilt as it is a negative force. I am a positive person. A person, if they are able, should attempt to plan accordingly for their own financial needs, which is what you are doing dear Smeshque.

I have been struggling these last few days with guilt. I live with guilt, since childhood. But, I believe the Lord and try and cast all my cares on HIM. But, as a human I still have my mental defects, I guess you could say.
I went back to work outside the home business. I am feeling so guilty. Wondering did I do it for selfish reasons? I reasoned it all out with adding to our income to clear up some debt. But, the Lord has always provided. So did I do it just to run away from my everyday? I don't know. I cannot yet make sense of it. but, I am in prayer about it and waiting for the Lord to guide me and make sure I am where HE wants me to be, or if I need to reevaluate. So I am in wait mode.

" Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD." Psalms 27:14

It is God that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect.
Psalms 18:32

Champions with a Cause: An Ode to Caregivers

by Angela Shaw
Print



A bather, a baker, a yummy meal maker.

A caregiver is this and more.

Just how much does a caregiver do?

It’s impossible to try to keep score!



A caregiver is a chef.

They can cook almost anything.

But given the choice of homemade or not,

All agree that take-out is king!



A caregiver is a coach.

Who keeps you in the game.

Sometimes they may seem bossy,

But they love you just the same.



A caregiver is an EMT.

They can fix any cut, scrape or bruise.

They respond to every emergency,

As if they had something to lose.

A caregiver is a soldier.

They defend, protect, and serve.

A heartfelt smile is their greatest reward,

But a medal they really deserve!



A caregiver is a chauffeur.

To appointments through traffic they’ve fought.

Speed barriers they break to get there on time.

And somehow they never get caught!



But most of all...



A caregiver is a trusted friend.

Who’ll listen, encourage, console.

And caring for their loved one,

Is their honor and ultimate goal.

Help us, Lord, to see ourselves
Through your loving eyes,
To see what you see in us
And to come to realize


That everything that we possess
Comes directly from you,
The gifts, the talents you've placed within
Are there for us to use


To reach with hope to those that hurt,
To those who've lost their way
It's your gifts, Lord, they're not our own,
So take them, Lord, we pray


And use them for your glory,
So others may be blessed
And have their spirits lifted
And their souls also refreshed


So they can then be challenged
To seek more after you,
To be much more empowered
For whatever they may do


For each of us have talents
That God has placed within
So we can encourage others
To have a closer walk with Him


And as we encourage another,
We can be encouraged ourselves,
For there needs to be a continual flow
And a continual pouring out


And as we do this, we will find
Insecurities will disappear
And we’ll be strengthened in His love
To overcome our fears.

By M.S.Lowndes

Smeshque: Yes, so very true. While we may strive to do all the things that we must do, we will fall short unless we have God on our side.

LL I love those verses, I say them to myself everyday. Especially when I am in a situation of not wanting to do or be where I am at that time. So I just repeat them over and over to get through those times. And always try and do whatever it is I am doing as if I were doing it for the Lord. As a mere mortal I fall short quite often, but I still strive to do it.

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,



Philippians 4:13

I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.
Deuteronomy 32:4

Smeshque: Ever so glorious!

Philippians 4:7
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

Smeshque: Oh, what soul food.

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”
Ephesians 2:10

Smeshque: Thank you; thus I am a mere mortal and I giveth the glory to God, our Lord and Saviour! I aspire to be just like you, Smeshque, always lifting people up!

LL- You inspire me to be better. With your kind heart and love for all who need it. The world around you is blessed to have you in it.
You have helped me in my growing and learning as your love for the Lord is shown in your actions, you have been a good example of love.

Smeshque: That is very true.

I rejoice in this time of growing, for I know it will make me stronger and more loving.

Smeshque: Oh, I am thus sorry that you are ridden with growing pains. That is a lovely sentiment from St. Francis of Assisi. ;)

I am ridden with growing pains. Growing hurts. But the person we will become with growth will be far better than what we are now.


Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there is hatred let me bring your love
Where there is injury, your pardon Lord
And where there's doubt, true faith in You.

Make me a channel of your peace
Where there's despair in life let me bring hope
Where there is darkness, only light
And where there's sadness ever joy.

O Master grant that I may never seek
So much to be consoled as to console
To be understood as to understand
To be loved as to love with all my soul.

Make me a channel of your peace
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned
It is in giving to all men that we receive
And in dying that we are born to eternal life.
Sir Francis of Assisi

Smeshque: Oh, that is quite lovely!


Proverbs 12:25
25 Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.

Thou shalt not worry,
for worry is the most unproductive of all human activities.

Thou shalt not be fearful,
for most of the things we fear never come to pass.

Thou shalt not cross bridges before you get to them,
for no one yet has succeeded in accomplishing this.

Thou shalt face each problem as it comes,
you can handle only one at a time anyway.

Thou shalt not take problems to bed with you
for they make very poor bedfellows.

Thou shalt not borrow other people's problems,
they can take better care of them than you can.

Thou shalt not try to relive yesterday
for good or ill, it is gone
concentrate on what is happening in your life today.

Thou shalt count thy blessings,
never overlooking the small ones
for a lot of small blessings add up to a big one.

Thou shalt be a good listener,
for only when you listen do you hear ideas different from your own,
it's very hard to learn something new when you're talking.

Thou shalt not become bogged down by frustration,
for ninety percent of it is rooted in self-pity
and it will only interfere with positive action.

By
Elodie Armstrong

Smeshque: What I meant to imply is that I must learn to slow down as I'm aging in doing the physical things. There is no caregiver looking after me because I am not at that point and I will be sad when I do need one. I'm a huge multitasker, but I find myself tiring more easily when I do 2 early days (involving a lot of driving with a sore mouth). But still I want to prevail. I want to do the Lord's work AND my work. It's good that you only got part-time employment, since that's what you wanted.

LL- Get yourself rested up, I imagine that is a tiresome event.
I am exhausted with my new schedule. DH has been doing wonderfully with Mom while I have been working. And it seems I find my respite in my new job. So when I come home I am refreshed and a better person. It is only a few days a week. Mom seems to be doing well with it. We get to miss each other and look forward to seeing each other when I get home. It's such a blessing. I do feel though that I miss out on so much. But this seems like the balance I have been needing for respite. Who knew I needed to go to work to be refreshed.
Much love to all my fellow caregivers, past, present and future.

Matthew 11:28
Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Smeshque: two long days have left me quite tired. I must rest from my dental implant-tooth extracted and implant placed today.