Dark Eden

Did you know there is a place called Blood Falls in Antarctica?

In the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Antarctica, a remarkably blood-like flow oozes out of the ice and down the tongue of Taylor Glacier onto the frozen surface of West Lake Bonney. 

Below its strange geography lies a biological mystery scientists call "Dark Eden," the perfect place to begin the story of a world that has lost its soul as it rages on a collision course with justice. The novel Blood Falls pulls back the veil on a fascinating and fresh portrayal of the end of an age. CMADDICT.com has done an amazing job of producing the audio of the Preface and 1st chapter of the book. 

Why post a book about the Apocalypse on a website devoted to the celebration of Life?

Because I'm the author of the book, and I'm an ardent supporter of the pro-life movement...from the moment of conception to the natural end of the physical body. The novel Blood Falls reflects that in both concept and mission. Though it deals with hard issues in the fictional depiction of God's judgment upon an apostate world, God is always in the business of bringing life out of death. Even as He pours out His indignation upon the evil in the land, He is always working to bring humanity to Him. 

When I wrote this book, I wept as I penned the words to Chapter 35: Rachel's Gift. I still weep every time I read it. 

This chapter stirs my soul because it declares that God is Life. He's the King of the living. He rejoices in bringing life out of death. 

We honor Him when we get the message.

The coming Tribulation will not include alien zombies and purple skies.

 

The events portrayed in the prophetic portions of Scripture have been tortured until they hardly resemble anything modern folks can appreciate or take seriously. The day is fast approaching, however, when they will come upon the earth, exactly as predicted by the Bible. 

In real time. In this age. 

Those who have already accepted the gift of life offered in the sacrifice and resurrection of God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, will escape the tribulation of the Apocalypse before it begins. Those who waited, however, will still have the opportunity to choose life, though at great cost.

If it was ever the time to investigate what the Bible has to say about the future of Earth, the time is now.

Listen here: Blood Falls Chapter One with audio 

Learn more: Bloodfalls.net

Many thanks to Kevin Thorson, founder and senior editor of CMADDICT.com for his vision and work on the project. Be sure to check out the entire site. It's filled with quality content, awesome music, and inspiring stories. Need a lift for your spirit today? Check out the devotionals, too!

Are You Hurting Today?

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When Pain Is a Good Thing

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

– C.S. Lewis

It’s deep into football season.

Some players have been sidelined with season-ending injuries, while others limp through the games. In a 2016 ESPN article entitled “How NFL Players Play through the Pain,” staff writer and veteran football player Matt Bowen asserted that nobody on the field after October is truly healthy. The players maximize their ability to play through careful management of their injuries during the week and an injection of Toradol, jokingly referred to as “Vitamin T,” on game day. They know that the pain will come back with a vengeance afterward. The next day may be more brutal, in fact, than when the injury first happened.

For the players, it’s about managing the pain and making it through the important days. For them, the goal is to earn a win for their team and a healthy paycheck for themselves.

For those of us who are not athletes, it may be hard to understand those willing to put their bodies through all that just for a game. It feels wrong to purposely play through a sensation that keeps warning you to stop.

Physical pain, after all, is the body’s messenger, informing us that something is wrong. In that respect, it’s also our friend, because if we didn’t have pain, we would be constantly injuring ourselves. Pain tells us to stop what we’re doing and make an assessment. Sometimes it’s the wake-up call that inspires us to totally change our lifestyles.

Emotional pain may have different causes, but it, too, is God’s shout to us. It’s jarring and perhaps harder to bear than physical pain. It can’t be managed with something as simple as “Vitamin T.”

This kind of pain drives us to ask the questions God wants to answer.

It takes us down and makes us look up. Suffering is the taskmaster that drives us to the Deliverer. In the same way physical pain sends us the urgent message to look for the source of injury or illness, emotional pain sends us an unmistakable message that it’s time to search out our Comforter and Healer.

Pain is a good thing when it awakens us to a new understanding of who we are and what we need to do to find healing. Life is more precious than any game. The stakes are higher, the victory sweeter.

If you're hurting today, God is near, whether it feels like it or not. He'd love to hear from you. He's waiting, and He cares. Talk to Him about what you're feeling, and listen to His Word for you. It will come. There is a reason for the pain and a source for the healing.

You're going to get through this.

 

After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you.

– 1 Peter 5:10

Hungry for More? Discover a Vault of Comfort and Inspiration at CMADDICT.com.

Today's devotional is shared from the treasury of Slightly Obsessed at cmaddict.com. Whether you're slightly obsessed about living for Jesus, totally possessed with hunger for His presence, or just want to learn more about who He is, we invite you to discover new courage for the day in one of the over 260 inspirational articles by longtime caregiver and author Pam Thorson. 

Credits:

https://www.kevinhalloran.net/best-c-s-lewis-quotes/
http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/14564481/how-nfl-players-play-pain

Pioneer Files: Tell Yourself This on the Hard Days - A Homeschooling Veteran Speaks

 

Mayflower vans and vague memories

Some girls dream of being the first woman president or an astronaut. My young childhood memories consisted of random mental snapshots of places we lived as my father chased a career in broadcasting. Even as a child, I dreamed of a life without a Mayflower van packed with everything we owned sitting in the driveway. 

I wanted a real home, to be a wife and mom. I dreamed of roots, planted deep into something solid and real and secure. When I found my prince, married at eighteen, and began our family, my life felt complete.

A people-watcher and student of human nature from a young age, I figured my stints at babysitting and the trials of having a younger brother had sufficiently prepared me for parenthood. Also, I read Dr. Spock's book Baby and Child Care. That sealed the deal.

I was set.

A better word would be "deluded."

Little brothers are challenging, for sure. And babysitting had taught me to change a diaper. Nothing I'd experienced in my short life, though, had truly prepared me for motherhood. 

Growing a new life into adulthood is the most beautiful experience in the world. The surprise is learning that parenting doesn't have an expiration date. As I had four more children and continued to grow up into my role as a wife and mom, I often found myself watching my parents wade through the seasons of loss and rebirth in their family.

I began to rethink this whole parenting thing. Not in the way of wanting to quit. 

Realizing that parenting is never over.

As much as it hurt to see my folks' struggles and pain, I realized they were blazing the path ahead for me, as they had always done. The next generation learns how to live - and die - by watching the generation before them.

Learning from their mistakes.

Making new ones of our own.

Finding Jesus, the Father's heart, and the way home through it all.

Just for you today

Some things about parenting get easier over the years. Some things get harder. For sure, new challenges arise just as we conquer the old ones. 

If life's been especially hard lately, it's time for a little break. Stop beating yourself up for your real or perceived failures. Pour yourself a cup of coffee, go to a quiet place (if that's possible), and soak in these ten Scriptures from the Father's heart for you. Remember He loves you, He's fighting for you, and it's going to be okay.

Ten Things to Tell Yourself on the Hard Days

And looking at them, Jesus said to them, “With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 19:26

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the eagerly awaiting creation waits for the revealing of the sons and daughters of God.

- Romans 8:18-19

He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For the sake of His name.

- Psalm 23:3 

 

She has done what she could.... 

- Mark 14:8 

 

And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?

- Esther 4:14 KJV

 

How precious also are Your thoughts for me, God! How vast is the sum of them! Were I to count them, they would outnumber the sand.

- Psalm 139:17-18 

 

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints.

- Hebrews 6:10 

 

For His anger is but for a moment,

His favor is for a lifetime;

Weeping may last for the night,

But a shout of joy comes in the morning.

 - Psalm 30:5

 

Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs  And carry them in His bosom; He will gently lead the nursing ewes.

- Isaiah 40:11 

I will raise my eyes to the mountains;

From where will my help come?

2 

My help comes from the Lord,

Who made heaven and earth.

3 

He will not allow your foot to slip;

He who watches over you will not slumber.

4 

Behold, He who watches over Israel

Will neither slumber nor sleep. 

 Psalm 121:1-4

 

Christmas Cards Are Looking Iffy again This Year

 

Holidays can be hard on caregivers and families.

It's the last week before Christmas, and a stack of Christmas cards sits unsigned on my desk. My dreams of homemade fudge and divinity are melting under the heat of the day's urgencies. Stirring up a batch of our family's traditional lefse has been pushed to a "maybe" for New Year's. The reality is I'll be doing well to get the presents wrapped in time to open.

'Tis the season.

Parents and caregivers always told to "take care of ourselves," but that's a sketchy task most of the year and more impossible than usual during the holiday season. The extra effort involved just to make a batch of cookies can be daunting, even for those who love Christmas as much as I do.

Nostalgia creates a haunted road this time of year.

Reliving Christmas past can be comforting. It can also bring to the forefront all that we have lost. For those who have buried loved ones or are adjusting to other life changes, living in a new normal filled with loss can be overwhelming. How can we cherish the memories without letting them throw us into depression?

The manger awaits.

Christmas is about one thing: Celebrating the birth of our Savior.

Jesus came to deliver us from an empty existence on Earth and an eternity of torment without Him. Christmas equals Hope. Christmas is the reason people suffering around the world can celebrate from prisons and hospitals and sickbeds. The knowledge that the pain of this life can't be compared to the glory to be revealed in us is a powerful reason to rejoice. Death has already been defeated. 

Those who have accepted the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ for their salvation will never die.

They just change residence. All creation awaits the moment the Lord returns to finish the redemption, which is the resurrection of their bodies to eternal life. When our existence is viewed through lens of eternity, every day is worth celebrating! Gratitude fills us with joy and puts every event of our lives into proper perspective. Then we can cherish our good memories for the treasures they are and bear the indignities of today knowing they will pass. 

For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 

- Romans 8:18

Until then, we work...and rest.

Our duties will be there as long as we have others who depend on us. Cookies and lefse may or may not happen. Christmas cards are looking iffy. The yearning for the glow of Christmas past will still haunt us at times.

But Today is filled with the joy of hope because Jesus came two thousand years ago. A new Future awaits!

Pioneer Files: What's the Goal?

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.

- Proverbs 1:7

What's the first thing to do when you don't know the first thing about home education?

Listen for God's voice

You will need His guidance every day. When everyone around you is shouting, His is the voice you can trust. Practice what you want your children to learn, starting with listening to your Father. Ask His advice, read His revealed Word in the Scriptures, and follow His lead.

Set your goals

All I knew in the beginning was that I wanted our children to love Jesus first. My second goal was to give them the best education we could manage. I wanted them to learn critical thinking (the process of objectively analyzing and processing information to guide our beliefs and actions) and become contributing members of society.

Particularly if a child is older and been in a different schooling atmosphere, a parent may have to deal with some serious attitude problems. It will likely also bring to the surface any relationship issues already present in the family.

An honest parent will admit to some disturbing attitudes of his/her own to battle. Those will emerge in the heat of the day. Especially at first, a parent may spend most each day working through personality conflicts. 

If this happens to you, don't despair. This is exactly what you should be doing. Learning and teaching healthy interpersonal interactions and conflict resolution are some of the most important work we will ever do.

Forget the math quiz. In its proper role, rote learning is important, but secondary, to character-building. If you have to spend a whole morning working through a bout of sibling rivalry or teaching your children they can't manipulate you, the time is well-spent.

It will help if the child learns from the start that you won't allow study time to become a power struggle. The grown-up should be the grown-up in the room. Exert gentle but firm authority. The child has to learn to complete a task, even a distasteful one. This is the only way he will develop respect for others and the patience the real world demands. Just make sure the task isn't so far beyond his abilities that he becomes frustrated.

You will probably need to adjust your teaching goals many times along the way. Some children are ready at an earlier age for more intense study than others. The wise parent will back away from pushing him too hard and resort to more informal activities until the child is ready. With practice, you will learn the difference between a child who is a complainer and one who is truly struggling.

Do your research

There were precious few resources or curricula for us in 1982. Because I had no experience in education and needed to build a solid track record with documentation in case we received a legal challenge to our homeschool, I chose a very strict program. As home education became a legal alternative in our state and the years wore on, I stayed close to that system but relaxed our schedules.

Today there are so many ways to homeschool and such a bewildering mountain of advice and curricula, you will probably feel overwhelmed. Don't stress over picking the perfect plan. This is your school! Choose a curriculum that fits your family's style and your own goals. You will likely change things up many times along the way, anyhow.

I'm glad we taught our children to work hard, but now I truly wished we'd played more and worried less about getting everything right. I unwittingly transferred some of my own worry to them and gave them more pressure at times than they should have had. When you're slashing through the jungles of new territory, be wary of inflicting your own unintentional, incidental injuries.

Understand the battle

Speaking of battles, there will be many. When you have declared war on hell, expect resistance. It will come from all sides. Let this be your assurance you are on the right track. Remember gates only serve to keep something in or out. They do not have wings or wheels and can't advance to take new territory. They only stand or fall.

If someone you love is trapped, storm the gates. Start with prayer, walk carefully, and stay close to God. He will guide your steps. 

...upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

- Matthew 16:18

Commit to the long haul

Early homeschool advocates Dr. Raymond and Dorothy Moore once noted that homeschooling is not for the fainthearted. That, my friend, is an understatement. It is a demanding job testing a parent's strength and patience to the very limits. Probably beyond.

All commitments succeed through determination and are independent of our feelings. Most married couples lose that initial first electrical attraction as their love moves to a more mature stage. Successful marriages are built upon the work and devotion to keep their relationship vital and alive. That same hard work is necessary to develop our relationships with our children and train them for godliness.

Photo 99226413 © Mikhail Dudarev | Dreamstime.com

Threads

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb.  - Psalm 139:13

You're Complicated.

You probably guessed that. You may have even been told that a few times by a frustrated friend, co-worker, or family member. You may not have realized, though, just how complex you really are.

According to National Geographic, the average human body contains thirty trillion cells. 1. Each individual genome, or set of instructions for the development and operation of one person, contains approximately three billion base pairs of the chemical code that comprise our DNA, attached to twenty-three pairs of chromosomes. 2. This chemical code determines our sex, what we will look like, and much more. That's why it's called the master blueprint of the body. 3.

There is, in fact, nothing simple about the "simple cell." Each individual cell in your body is a finely-tuned factory working closely with the other cells of the body to sustain your life. You are not generally aware of the incredible processes of the systems keeping you alive, but you know when something isn't working correctly. The body strives to stay at a pre-set "normal," a state known as homeostasis, and even a small change in those processes can threaten your health or your life.

All that, and you're just one person.

On a planet filled with over eight billion people, it's easy to feel inconsequential. It's even easier to see others as inconsequential, especially if their lives don't meet society's expectations or they become inconvenient. The aged, the weak, the disabled, the unplanned, seem expendable from that perspective. What's one damaged life out of so many?

What's one broken thread in the fabric of God's plan for mankind?

Only everything. Just as every thread is needed to complete a work of art by a master weaver, so every life holds an important place in His plan for the world that is and the world to come.

Complexity points to a designer. A piece of art proves the existence of an artist. We all know that an intricately woven fabric is not made by dumping a bunch of thread on a loom. Someone must create it.

You're part of a grand design.

You and I are living threads in the hands of a Creator immense in power, limitless in imagination, and exquisite in the care with which He fashions His world. The skill with which He wove you in the womb, in all its unfathomable precision, pales beside the magnitude of the loom upon which He crafts history's story. 

Not only are you a vital part of that plan, so is every other human. Our job is not to decide the value of others on this earth, but to respect every person's value before God. Only He knows which threads will display the bold, royal colors of the kingdom, and which will carry the softer shades of grace. All are needed to complete the heavenly canvas upon which His story is revealed.

You matter. So does the homeless man on the corner, the baby with Down's Syndrome, and the elderly woman with Alzheimer's. May God forgive us for thinking we can choose the design for Him, for believing we know best.

My bones were not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, when I was being skillfully woven in an underground workshop.   

- Psalm 139:15 (GOD'S WORD Translation)

 1.http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/01/160111-microbiome-estimate-count-ratio-human-health-science/

2.https://www.genome.gov/11006943/human-genome-project-completion-frequently-asked-questions/

3.http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/cellular-microscopic/dna5.htm

Gather the Memories While You Can

He had been in fragile health for some time. His favorite way to spend an afternoon was to sit and reminisce over his life. As his memory began to slip, sometimes he told the same story over and over, usually beginning with these words, "I may never have told you this..." Distracted by a myriad duties I needed to be finishing, I often just smiled and endured the recitation while I mentally organized my day. After all, I'd heard it many times before.

As he got older and frailer, I began to realize that one day soon, he would leave us, taking his memories and my connection to our shared past with him. I began to get a pen and paper, or a hand held recorder, and ask questions while I took notes. Sometimes it was a lengthy session. Sometimes I just jotted down a sentence or two.

What I discovered was a gold mine. Dad was a veritable storehouse of information, dates, and names. Our afternoons together became a treasure hunt for my family's story. We both had our DNA tested and he gave me valuable clues as I pieced together our pedigree. I learned not only what he did, but why he did it, answering some nagging questions about our family and bringing me a new sense of release and peace.

With his help, I was able to publish a book on the history of the community in which we live. I couldn't have done it without his vast knowledge of people and places. The book is dedicated to him, and my only regret is that he passed on before I could place it in his hands.

Now he is gone, and I cherish those times I had with him. He took great comfort in knowing that what he thought was important for us to remember about him and the family had been preserved. And I learned so much, mostly how vital it is to be present when I am with others. I had always taken his presence for granted, and now that he is gone, I often find myself trying to remember something and wishing he were here to ask. I miss the essence of who he is, but I am comforted by the treasure of the sweet fellowship I was honored to experience.

As a lay researcher, I realize the importance of writing down even the most basic family information. I have spent countless hours trying to dig up just the names and birth dates of people associated with a history project. Information that may seem unimportant now may be vital to someone later.

As a caregiver myself, I know that sometimes we are so focused on what our loved ones have lost that we forget what they still have to offer. Caregiving, with all its trials and stresses, can be a deeper experience when we acknowledge the life that was lived.

This November is National Family Caregivers' Month. As we gather around the Thanksgiving table this year, let's remember to listen to Grandpa's stories a little closer. Scoop up the memories while you can. Write them down. Even a scribbled note may yield a treasure trove of information later. While you're at it, don't forget to write down your own story for those coming after you.

Gather the memories while you can. One day they will be gone, and you will be a better person for having listened.

Three Things People Say that Make a Caregiver Cringe

What do I need? Where do I start?

During our twenty-one years of dealing with disability, people have taken really good care of our family. So I have hesitated to share today's post, thinking that it may make us appear ungrateful.

Believe me, we appreciate every good thought, prayer, and action taken on our behalf over the years. We are truly thankful for the caring people who surround us.

It is written, however, not to complain but to encourage others who might want to help their caregiver friends but don't know how to reach out effectively. Here's a few ideas of what caregivers need -and don't need- to hear from their concerned friends and loved ones. I've included some ideas that my friends have concocted for us that saved our sanity and made us feel truly loved.

1. "Let me know if there's anything you need."

On any given day, I pretty much need everything: rest, hope, money, respite, the weeds pulled in my flower garden. But I'm not likely to call you anytime soon. Our situation has taken so much of our dignity over the years, I just can't ask anyone for more. It's hard to always be the ones in need, so I will probably politely thank you and leave it at that.

I also know that most of our friends and family would gladly help out if they knew what to do. A great way to really assist your caregiver friend is to not wait for that phone call.

Just do something.

Don't worry if it's the right thing. They'll love you for trying, even if it's not really what they needed. Instead of a vague offer of help, pick out something specific and do it. For example, you can ask, "What is your favorite pizza and would Thursday night be a good time to drop it off for you? Or, "I'm thinking of weed eating a few weeds this weekend. Could you use an hour of weed whacking around your yard, too?" Drop off a deli tray or a plate of brownies. Stick a prepaid card in the mail for a meal at a restaurant that does takeout or curbside pickup.

Once when our son was being released from the hospital after suffering a particularly bad infection, a friend dropped off a gallon of milk, toilet paper, and a take-and-bake pizza. She didn't stay long, because she knew we were exhausted. And the pizza could be refrigerated until we were ready to cook it. What an awesome and thoughtful thing to do.

Recently, I had out-patient surgery. Two of my dear friends, who know that I can't ask for help, took charge. Because my husband had to keep up the caregiving at home, one friend drove me to the hospital, waited while I had the procedure, and drove me home. She also brought food for the frig. After I returned home, another friend babysat me for the afternoon while I rested. She brought food, too. I can't begin to tell you how much these two did to ease my recovery and restore my soul.

Helping out a caregiver doesn't have to be expensive, involved, or time-consuming. Just the fact that you took the time to reach out is healing to a family scoured out by overwork and sorrow. Sometimes that can be achieved by simply sending a card in the mail to let them know you're thinking of them or a Facebook message of encouragement.

2. "Be sure to take care of yourself."

Um, okay. I'm trying. But who will do my job for me while I get that pedicure?

Believe me, caregivers know that they need to take care of themselves. But most day, theys are too busy just keeping their heads above water as they are swept down Urgent River. It's like telling a drowning person to take time for himself. He can't do that. He's busy drowning. What he needs is to be pulled to safety, not a haircut.

A great alternative would be, once again, to put feet to your concern. See number one for ideas. Anything you can do to relieve some of the caregivers' burdens can give them a chance to find time for themselves.

You can also ensure that a caregiver is pampered by pampering her yourself. Soon after our disabled son returned home after his accident, a group of my friends threw me a shower at a friend's house. We ate together, they washed my feet, and they showered me with gifts. After all the weeks of standing beside our son as he fought for his life, I had almost forgotten how to do anything but exist in pain. The gift of an afternoon with my precious friends reminded me how wonderful it is to be alive.

3. "You should get out more"

This one is right up there with the previous comment. Obviously, if we could get out more, we would. Caregivers are not only too busy, they are often too tired to keep up much of a social life. This is part of the sacrifice they willingly make to serve their loved one. They understand what they are giving up, and they are willing to do it, which may seem incomprehensible to others.

Caregiving often leads to a sense of isolation and loneliness. Instead of shaming them for not being able to make the extra effort to socialize, consider how you can draw the circle that brings them in. 

Use some creativity if you can't figure out how to get them away for a respite. Why not give them a "shower" in their own home, so they don't have to find an alternate caregiver? You could gather a few friends, replenish their kitchen or bathroom necessities, and have some fun in the process. Or host an evening of bunco or a"movie night" in their living room. Have a barbecue in their back yard and give it a Caribbean theme. Take your life group to their place for a Bible study. Fill their house with laughter and love for a couple of hours and let them be refreshed. Just be sure to ask about any special considerations for their loved one.

Once an acquaintance who loves to cook insisted on preparing a multi-course dinner for us at our house. He even wore a chef's uniform and served us as we sat around the table and took in the wonder of it all. The meal rivaled anything we could have ordered at a restaurant.

What most people who care for others need is, really, just to be remembered on some level. 

Just the fact that you reached out and let them know they are not alone is priceless. Your expression of concern can be as individual as you are. Make it simple, or make it a multi-course dinner. What will matter is the knowledge that someone cared.

Leave No One Behind

It was another one of those calls.

My elderly father had just had another serious medical "event," resulting in CPR and an ambulance ride to the hospital. I needed to go be with him and my stepmother.

I opened a drawer in the early morning semi-darkness and grabbed a pair of jeans. I dressed quickly and quietly, trying not to disturb my sleeping husband. I pulled on the nearest pair of socks and my most comfortable shoes, not knowing how long I would be at the hospital.

I pretty much lived in those jeans for the next few days.

One day, during a conference with the medical team caring for Dad, I suddenly became aware that my jeans felt short. I looked down and saw red deck stain blotches on the front of the denim. Then came the moment of realization: I had pulled out a pair of old denim capris that I wore last summer for painting projects outside. As a finishing touch, the cuffs had come unrolled, hitting just above the ugly black socks that stuck out of my tennis shoes.

Nice.

The worst part is that I didn't even care. My husband and I are already caregivers for a quadriplegic son. I take care of all of the nursing needs, and my husband stays up all night, every night, to ensure that our son is safe while he sleeps on the ventilator.

I have lots of days that are fashion fails. Caregiving is our life, our normal. We have done it for over two decades and are happy to do it. But it leaves little strength or emotional energy for anything else.

And 2017 was full of anything else. Health issues with my father and stepmother dominated the summer months, along with their major move to a new home closer to family and medical care. Our daughter was hit in two separate auto incidents that were determined not to be her fault. The second one totaled her car.

Then December hit with a vengeance. 

Our son developed two infections, and it took all our strength to keep him out of the hospital. Just as he began to recover, Dad passed out in -conveniently- the doctor's office. He was revived with CPR on the floor of the examination room and taken to the hospital by ambulance. He was admitted for observation, and we began the familiar juggling act to keep everything going at home and staying by my dad and step-mom's side. Our daughter navigated caregiving, a job change, and her own health issues.

Then, as the old year closed and a new year dawned, new and darker challenges assaulted us.

Here we are, in March, still deep in trial and work and sorrow. I cling to hope, believing against the crush of circumstances that God will deliver us as He always has. But these trials have reminded me in a profound way that I will not make it without Him. This old warrior is tired.

This is the reality of caregiving. 

If you're a caregiver, you probably walk a similar path. Sometimes it's a smooth, blessing-filled journey. Other times, it's all-out war, a battlefield filled with smoke and blood and the weeping of the wounded. This is the place where fashion fails and platitudes and casual Christianity are meaningless. Here the offers of prayers are taken seriously, where a simple act of kindness can literally help save a life.

Here, nothing much matters except to see the Deliverer coming over the horizon.

If you're a caregiver today, remember that your service to your loved one and to God is a sacred sacrifice. It's not a glamorous job, but it's a vital one. If you can relate to anything I'm feeling on any particular day, remember you are not alone. In fact, we're not meant to do this alone. Send me your prayer requests, and I will pray for you.

Caregiving is an often lonely job. But collectively we are the army that surrounds and encourages those who fight for others. Let's make sure no one is left alone on the fields of faith to struggle alone. The soul of any nation rests on how it treats its most vulnerable, both those who are wounded and those who care for them.

Can We Predict When a Person Is No Longer Useful to Society?

You could call it ironic.

Decades ago, a doctor by the name of Henry Heimlich read an article about people dying from choking on food in restaurants. Dr. Heimlich eventually developed a procedure to help dislodge food from a choking person's windpipe by applying abdominal thrusts, first described in 1974.

Variations of the procedure have been incorporated into first aid training for years, although its effectiveness is now in debate. But that didn't stop the doctor from springing into action in May of this year, when a woman seated next to him began choking on a piece of meat during a meal.

The Associated Press reported that Heimlich was having dinner when he noticed that the woman seated next to him began to get pink in the face and appeared to be choking. He got up behind her and began the Heimlich maneuver. A piece of hamburger with a bone in it popped out.

The woman, Patty Ris, was reported to be feeling fine afterward and credited Dr. Heimlich with saving her life. She was convinced that God had seated them side-by-side that day.

The irony of saving a person with his own procedure in a community setting should be especially sweet for this doctor, because Dr. Heimlich is now ninety-six years old, and the incident occurred at a senior living center in Cincinnati, Ohio, where he is a resident.

Who would have guessed that an elderly man in a senior center would be a lifesaver? How many times had workers and visitors walked by him and seen only an old man?

It's a good example of why society should not be allowed to be the judge of the boundaries on a person's usefulness. Indeed, usefulness to society should not be the criterion for care in the first place.

A life should be valued for its existence alone.

But that is often not the case in our culture. So bravo to Dr. Heimlich for reminding us that we have something to offer to others, regardless of our age and our physical or mental abilities. Thanks for reminding caregivers and health care providers that we serve humanity when we care for others. A lifetime of rich experiences and relationships and expertise may reside in the most humble of humans.

Thanks, Dr. Heimlich, for encouraging others to see every person as vital, regardless of age or ability.

Thankful For Caregivers: A Poem

 Thankful For Caregivers
by Grace Thorson

I'm thankful for your ears that listen to my everyday plight,
I'm thankful for your perseverance throughout each night,
I'm thankful for your early-morning rising at dawn's first light,
With remembrance, I thank my caregiver for their day-to-day fight.

I'm thankful for your humble attitude against the daily grind,
I'm thankful for your encouraging words that always free my mind,
I'm thankful for your nursing skills that keep us intertwined,
With gratitude, I thank my caregiver for they are one-of-a-kind.

I'm thankful for your gentle prodding that forces me into motion,
I'm thankful for your honest soul in showing sincere emotion,
I'm thankful for your big heart because it's as deep as the ocean,
With love, I thank my caregiver for their ceaseless devotion.

In honor of all caregivers to their family members and patients,
thank you for all that you do! You are such a blessing!

10 Words That Describe A Caregiver

What Caregivers Really Love

If you know someone who is a caregiver, you've probably had the frustration of wanting to help but not knowing what you can do. In the past, we've shared some ideas for helping a caregiver you love.

This past Valentine's Day reminded me of one simple thing you can do that will really mean a lot.

Give them a special dinner.

Years ago, my mother and my eldest daughter conspired to put on a "Sweetheart Dinner" for the family on Valentine's Day. It was a sit-down dinner, complete with candles and the good dishes. Each person had a valentine on their plate. They decorated the table beautifully and made a lovely meal.

It was a hit. On a day usually reserved for celebrating passion and romance, it was refreshing to see the family expressing Godly devotion for each other. We continued it for years.

Then our daughter left home, got married, and started her own family. Our son was paralyzed in an accident, and we became his full-time caregivers. The sweetheart dinner fell to the wayside for us. But our daughter continued it with her family.

This year, on a whim, I revived it in our own home. We made a simple meal, lit the candles, and made sure there were plenty of flowers and candy.

Once again, it was a hit. As I thought about it later, I realized why. People aren't used to having others do something lavishly nice just for them, just because they have value in someone's eyes.

Caregiving is a lonely job. It's easy to feel lost in the duties and hard work. It's tough to hang on to our own sense of person-hood sometimes on this journey.

If you really want to encourage someone you know who is a caregiver, give her (or him) a sit-down dinner. The food doesn't have to be exotic. Just light lots of candles, use the good dishes, and let her know that she is appreciated and loved for who she is.

You don't have to spend a lot of money, either. Be creative. Instead of gifts at the plates, set out little scrolls of inspirational Bible verses or quotes from your favorite authors, tied with ribbons. If they can't leave their own homes, take the dinner to them. Sit down with them, listen to their stories, and enjoy a leisurely meal. It doesn't even have to be at a holiday. You can make any day a celebration by bringing joy into the gray lives of someone around you.

Yes, it will challenge you to step beyond your comfort level--just like they have to do every day.

The idea that you cared enough to invest time in them will refill their tired souls. Caregivers know how precious time is. It will bless them.

I promise.

30 Thoughts of Thankfulness To Caregivers

Trying to think of an article for this Thanksgiving, I was inspired to create this "30 Thoughts of Thankfulness To Caregivers." Why? I wrote it to thank the Caregivers in my own life, but also included it in ways to speak to you. I felt the need to offer this encouragement to you today. You deserve every thank you mentioned here - all 30 of them! Of course, I could never thank a Caregiver enough. Their work is without borders, but I pray this article praises them in a humble sense.

I dedicate this post of thankfulness to my parents, my grandma, and to my friends who find themselves wearing this honorable title. Without further ado, here are my 30 Thoughts of Thankfulness To Caregivers:

1. Thank you for the energy you take to care for the needs of someone else - which is 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Your job is full-time, and I thank you for every minute of it.

2. Thank you for managing to cook meals every day for your family. Your vigor to keep us fed is one of your top to-do's on your list, and my stomach internally thanks you, as well!

3. Thank you for remembering fellow Caregivers everywhere and for offering support and encouragement to them. The help you give them is appreciated and much needed.

4. Thank you for standing up for life and for waving the banner of truth. This will never change, because the battle of life and death will forever be waged, but I say, fight on soldier!

5. Thank you for writing books to draw Caregivers and families closer to God. I've been inspired by your stories of triumph, and am encouraged to pen my own story on Caregivers.

6. Thank you for being strong among the storms of trial and heartache. You're my superheroes!

7. Thank you for juggling the mundane chores and activities that come your way. They may not seem important, but God sees your every move. One by one, all service counts in His eyes.

8. Thank you for making birthdays, and the holidays so special. You don't forget our day of birth, and you're always able to assemble a mighty celebration. Memories are our best gifts!

9. Thank you for opening your heart and sharing your stories with us. Each tale from your life is a piece of treasure to dig up and carefully analyze. I promise, I will forever cherish them.

10. Thank you for your compassionate spirit in assisting the needy within your community. If we had more servant-minded folks like you, this world would be a better place for all of us.

11. Thank you for lending a shoulder to cry on - which all tears flow.

12. Thank you for instilling the Bible into the lives of your family members, especially your children. Standing up for God's Word is first and foremost in my faith, and your teachings on it are precious.

13. Thank you for the precise and loving care that you give to the disabled in your home. They wholly depend on your life to see them through theirs. Your sacrifice is utmost!

14. Thank you for the wisdom you carry in the area of health and medicine. Your brain is like a walking medical encyclopedia, which I am allowed to search through for assistance.

15. Thank you for your constant vigil - whether it's early in the morning or late at night. Most would describe you as being both an early bird and a night owl, because your guard duty never ends.

16. Thank you for smiling through the extreme hardships and for also keeping an optimistic view on them. The hope you carry in your heart touches the lives of everyone who yearns for it.

17. Thank you for your tireless prayers to God for healing and peace. Your Father hears every tear-streaked word in the middle of the night, and quiet utterance during the day.

18. Thank you for doing your best every single day of the year - which is giving your all. Mind, body, spirit - you fully provide these three to the one you care for. May your heart be refreshed!

19. Thank you for your humble attitude and unwavering soul. Most don't know what you do at home, and you'd like to keep it that way. Your solid determination and humility is invigorating.

20. Thank you for trying to keep the house clean. I know this is no easy feat!

21. Thank you for accomplishing the chores around the house, and for not forgetting one, single, solitary detail. Where would we be without you? Your memory is like an elephant.

22. Thank you for listening to people with disabilities, and for treating them with respect. You see them with the heart of a parent, and you offer them the same treatment as one of your own.

23. Thank you for being a fixer - your need to make things better is contagious. The drive you exceed at in getting things done is miraculous. I hope to be so alive in spirit and fire!

24. Thank you for either doing school with us or for making sure we got to school on time. Being homeschooled, you taught me what public school couldn't: compassion, and an open mind.

25. Thank you for your healing hands. They're rough and strong from constant use, but on the other side, gentle and fragile. When we fall down, and can't get back up - your hands are what hold us up,

26. Thank you for your unbroken love and devotion - both speak of a faithful servant. In the end, you will garner a trophy for finishing an amazing race, and I will be honored to stand by you all.

27. Thank you for being a Florence Nightingale, watching over us with the expert care of a nurse. I can imagine you with an oil lamp of light, but instead of the lamp, your heart is what would shine.

28. Thank you for wearing the title of Caregiver. The word is fitting for one who is two things: a giver, and a person who cares. Yup. Caregiver couldn't be more perfect!

29. Thank you for finding a way to celebrate Thanksgiving, whether it's a large or small event. It doesn't matter what size it is, your heart is dedicated to creating a day for family and friends. This is the most important aspect of any holiday!

30. Thank you for not giving up on hope, and for this, I am especially thankful.

To close this article, I would like to say... may you all enjoy a tremendous Thanksgiving with the people you care most about! <3 Caregivers, you are forever loved and held in our arms of protection! I pray your holidays are deeply blessed!

There's Always Room for Hope

© Jules315 | Dreamstime.com - Superman Photo

I love these kinds of surprises.

"I think he can do much more than he's doing now," the physical therapist said as she helped my thirty-six-year-old son through a series of exercises. "I've seen people with a lot less do a lot more."

Music to my ears.

It's been over seventeen years since my son Kevin suffered a spinal injury in a fall. He was originally paralyzed from the neck down and was on life support for two years.

Today he can walk with help, run a computer, feed himself some foods, and feel or move nearly every part of his body.

Not paralyzed, just really tired.

His older brother Erik likes to joke that Kevin's not actually paralyzed, just "really tired."

He worked very hard during the first years to wean off the vent during his sleeping hours, move his body again in small ways, and fight off the regular complications of a high-level spinal cord injury.

Then his progress seemed to plateau. He and the family, now full-time caregivers, got too tired and discouraged to keep on fighting for a return to a normal body.

Kevin turned his attention to building a new life. We fell into a new kind of normal, accepting and enjoying the life we have. We've just been thankful to have each other and the good health to be home together.

Then a recent succession of injuries in the family forced us to reconsider transfer options. The Hoyler lift was out. Kevin can sit and walk to and from the wheelchair with help. An online search revealed that a lot has changed since Kevin was first injured in 1997. There's some awesome adaptive equipment out there.

A different kind of super man.

So Kevin has been traveling to an outpatient facility in a nearby city. There, we've been encouraged to believe again in what we've suspected all along: Kevin can do more. What amazing news for a man who was dubbed by one of his original surgeons as "another Christopher Reeve." For those of you who don't know who that is, Christopher Reeve was an actor who played the part of the comic book hero Superman in the movies. In 1995, Reeve was thrown from a horse and suffered a spinal cord injury that nearly killed him. He was totally paralyzed from the neck down and spent the rest of his life on life support. He died in 2004 from complications of his injury.

Today, Kevin is healthy and working hard on his exercises to awaken the old muscles and strengthen the ones he uses now. We're cautiously optimistic. The physical therapists want to try out the Rifton Tram in a couple of weeks and see if it will work for transfers and increased ambulation. We'll let you know how it goes.

Here's the link for the company.

http://www.rifton.com/products/lift-and-transfer-devices/rifton-tram


Don't you love surprises?

As a caregiver, have you found that it's easy to fall into a routine and forget to push for new progress with your loved one?

What adaptive equipment have you found that makes your life easier as a caregiver?

20 Encouraging Bible Verses For Caregivers: Part 4

• "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, I will never leave you nor forsake you." {Hebrews 13:5}
  
  
• "The Lord is my portion, says my soul, therefore I will hope in him. The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him." {Lamentations 3:24-25}
  
  
• "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith." {Galatians 6:9-10}
  
  
• "I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed." {Psalm 34:4-5}
  
  
• "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" {Psalm 34:8}
  
  
  Part 1 of 20 Encouraging Bible Verses For Caregivers
  Part 2 of 20 Encouraging Bible Verses For Caregivers
  Part 3 of 20 Encouraging Bible Verses For Caregivers