Still Waters

Sometimes there is so much going on in my head, that I feel like a pinball machine. I went to an awesome concert Friday night, the Cat's Pajamas. I would love to tell you all about that. Yesterday I worked the concession stand at a fundraiser for Kinship. We were supposed to get a bunch of snow today, but so far nothing's happening out there. Why do I stress about getting the house cleaned every weekend, coz by Monday night, with all the cats and the dog in the house, you can't even tell I vacuumed. Why do I have all these cats? I just want it to be summer and I want to go on vacation. How are we ever going to be able to afford to put a new roof on the house this spring? Maybe we should cancel vacation. Are either of my kids going to ever get jobs? I put my winter work tops away today and brought out my spring ones. Was that jumping the gun? My husband has 3093 songs downloaded on the computer. It would take eight days of listening non-spot to hear them all. I can't believe that there have even been that many songs written, and I know that there are many, many more that we don't have. What is really hard to believe is that I know all of the words to most of these songs. How is that possible when I can't remember to pick up a gallon of milk on my way home from work?

Arrggh! Is your brain that full? Or is it just me? And this is nothing compared to where my brain goes when I try to get to sleep at night!

Lord, give me peace not as the world gives but only as you may give. Let not my heart be troubled nor let me be afraid. (from John 14: 26-28)

He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:2 New King James Version

"I Know You"

Yesterday I was in Green Bay for a seminar to earn CEUs in my field of medical assisting. We listened to four wonderful speakers on three interesting topics (the fourth topic – OSHA regulations – not so interesting, but the speaker was still good).

The last presenter of the day spoke on Alzheimer’s Disease. What a devastating illness that is! Not one of us has not had a family member affected by it. One of the slides this speaker shared showed a cross-section of a normal brain and compared it to that of an Alzheimer’s victim.

I borrowed this picture from the internet, but it is just as clear to see that the brain on the right has wasted away, practically collapsing on itself. It is easy to understand why these men and women get to the point where they can no longer feed themselves, talk, or walk.

In April of 1993, we admitted my dad to an Alzheimer’s unit of the nursing home. The last thing he said to me was, “You are someone I should know.” A few days later he was hospitalized with aspiration pneumonia and passed away by the end of the week.

Why would a loving God let a disease such as this take over the minds of our elderly, our loved ones who only want to live out their lives in peace and happiness? I don’t know. But I do know this. Someday I will be with my dad in heaven and he will say to me, “I know you!” And even better than that, my heavenly Father will say that to me too.

“Do not be afraid—I will save you. I have called you by name—you are mine. When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burned; the hard trials that come will not hurt you. For I am the Lord your God.” Isaiah 43:1-3 Good News Translation