Do you know how to rest? I typically write about running your race and finishing well. To do either one, however, rest is required. It is a little different than collapsing in exhaustion. How do we do that? Perhaps change our focus from what needs to be done to what is?? Put your feet up [...]
The man pictured on the far right was my father. Because of criminal, abusive caregivers, I sought Guardianship and Conservatorship of Dad through the courts of Oregon. Even with the services of an attorney, the support of Adult Protective Services, and a court appointed visitor, the legal process took an entire year! By the time [...]
If God is giving us the gift of long life, how are we using it? Recently, I spent an entire afternoon in the ER awaiting medical help for my strong husband. Although quite painful, his issue was not life-threatening. Even so, it was a reminder of our physical frailties and even our mortality. Both of [...]
WHEN YOUR PARENT MOVES IN is written to adult children, the sandwich generation, who may be contemplating multigenerational living. However, it is also a profitable read for the older parent considering such a change in their living circumstances or even those already in the midst of adjusting to their new life living with an adult [...]
WHY MULTIGENERATIONAL? When retirees combine their housing needs with those of younger families, there can be multiple benefits. More than 100 examples of such interdependent living situations are the focus of Together Again: A Creative Guide to Successful Multigenerational Living. The oft-repeated advantage for the generation raising children is assistance with child care. The kiddos [...]
One summer, two friends and I instigated a 3-family picnic—the Millers, the Hines, and the Fowlers. It was great fun until my dear friend jumped off a rope swing and broke her ankle. During her recovery, she spent more than a little time in a wheelchair being pushed about by her gregarious, caring husband. Later, [...]
The first time I read Exodus, I was appalled at the complaining Israelites. God delivered them miracle by miracle, but their focus was so negative, all they could do was complain or panic. The next time I read it, I was convicted . . . I am like them. Repeatedly, God has provided for my [...]
FINDING DAD A NEW HOME CHAOS, CONFUSION, & CONFLICT can be prevented in times of crisis. Those who complete the Heritage of Hope program to prepare for the end of this life create both a plan and a support team. It is our prayer that all our alumni will complete their HOH checklists, [...]
Have you noticed how often we Christians adopt our culture’s despair over aging? To verify the reality of ageism, go shopping for a birthday card! God’s viewpoint is strangely different. Scripture refers to LONG LIFE as a reward, a gift, and a blessing. To prompt our thankfulness as the birthdays accumulate, I’ve identified 26 blessings [...]
In a park near our home, the Lewis River tumbles over rocks and tree roots to create the most soothing sound I know. As much as I love to walk rapidly up, down, and around the three-mile loop through the forest, I am inevitably drawn to one bench by the river. It would appear to [...]
