^^YOU Raise ME UP^^

In the words of Josh Groban
"You Raise Me Up"

When I am down and Oh my soul so weary, when troubles come and my heart burdened be,
then I am still... and wait here in silence
until you come and sit a while with me.
You raise me up~!

.......I am strong when I am on your shoulders,
You raise me up to more than I can be.

Alzheimer's patients are counting on US for just that.
Now trouble has come
Hearts feel burdened
They wait, often in silence, for us to come and sit a while
there by, is the raising up!


“Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without kinsman … and a nourisher of thine old age.” (Ruth 4:14–15)

“It won’t be easy, but it will be one of the choicest experiences you will ever share as a family, and you will be pleasantly surprised at the blessings that will come.”
(Joy Saunders Lundberg)

Love

Kindness

Sharing

Engaging

Laughing

Assisting

Protecting

Redirecting

Empathizing

Confirming

Reassuring

all in a day and a life

knowing I will never be perfect at it.

Come what may and LOVE it

Joseph B. Worthlin

Comfort Care

Since we are souls with spirits and bodies, I imagine myself faced with Alzheimer's Disease and know in my soul that my spirit would long for home.... Eternal home.
My body would be no longer be important to house my spirit or carry my soul through experiences I won't understand or have the ability to care about.

"Observance means first of all listening and looking carefully at what is being revealed in the suffering. An intent to heal can get in the way of seeing."
Thomas Moore from the book "Care of The Soul"

There are many ways to interpret that comment.

I just pose two questions:

Is it moral, Is it right to provide Comfort Cares only for a person in moderate stage of Alzheimer's who prays continually and ask others to pray the same prayer...To Be set free. To leave her mortal body, joining her beloved mother and father. For her soul to have the peace it desires?

If there is a lesson for others to learn, can it not be one of a level of Charity and Compassion not yet realized?

The Point of The Mountain

The Point of the Mountain, as two neighboring counties call the curved freeway where the prison sits on one side and a gravel quarry on the other is somewhat of a landmark.
It is a Paragliding paradise, especially if one does not land on the wrong side of the point.

Recently as I was approaching the Point of the Mountain on I 215, the sky become darker, the wind picked up, then snow flurries appeared.
Not much more than to tell about getting around the point that day
...then there are other days and nights.

When snow falls and temperatures drop in the counties north and south of the point I plan on the point being treacherous. It is close to the point where I have prayed fast and furious for help to make it to the other side.
At times considered turning back if possible or pulling over and waiting it out for fear of a serious consequence.

I have traveled this path hundreds of times and so far made it safely through to the other side, always knowing there are
fellow travelers, incident management teams
as well as emergency responders who can rescue
long enough to
get me back on my path.

I am headed towards a different Point, with my mother
who has
Alzheimer's disease.
We share this journey, yet each headed for
very different outcomes.

Times are frightening and stressful, with no way to back out or turn around
The bleak moments are as though we are surrounded in a
white out, not able to see what lies ahead.
The truth is, neither of us wants to struggle through the maze of
insecurity and the feelings of being alone on the path around the point.

Having been on this "road" before, I see it has changed...the weather
is off and on, clear then foggy.
Yet my resolve has never been more intense. My understanding of what must be, has been written in my heart.

Those who travel with us will find God is leading the way.
We are not forging new territory really...
however foreign it may feel.
We do have tender mercies of the incident management and rescue teams,
as well as fellow travelers who will gently set us back
on the path to eternal rest.

Come along for the ride, if you would like.
I forsee a bright, clear, longed for view as
we get around the bend and past the pain.
I see many joys, laughs, and sincere hours of
abounding Love, melding our hearts together forever
erasing the sorrow we thought would break us apart.