As a child, I thought my mother was literally ten feet tall. At 5’8”, she towered over me both in height and in authority. During the last few years, osteoporosis has reduced her to almost the same height as me, 5’4”. Now we look at each other on equal footing, although I still emotionally look […]
Within the respite of our sabbatical visit, we eat well, laugh and tell stories. My friends and I, on this girlfriend weekend in Yoder, Kansas – we catch up on twenty years of lifetimes with each other and without. Once we lived in the same town, worshipped together, hurt each other unintentionally and built a
Being with Sabbatical Friends Read More »
In the stillness of the morning, I meet with God – here at the Sunflower Inn in Yoder, Kansas. Two friends join me for this weekend away, this girlfriend time that also counts as my sabbatical from ministry. No flipping on the TV, no computer screen bleeping messages from cyberspace. Just my friends, God and
The Secret of Yoder, KS Read More »
Dear Mom, This Sunday is Mother’s Day, and I sent you a card. Hopefully, you will understand the words and remember who I am from my signature on the bottom. I wish I could be there with you, but since I can’t – please know that I love you and celebrate Mother’s Day with you.
Throughout this series about the LDC, I often alluded to the importance of prayer. My personal intercessory team lifts me up in prayer before every trip to Oklahoma. My siblings know people in their churches, their cell groups and their networks who pray for them. Certainly, we all pray for Mom. I pray that she
Long Distance Caregiving – Pray Read More »
Living with Alzheimers and/or dementia causes a host of emotions—especially for caregivers. Mom’s emotions aren’t that difficult. She lives in a contented land where all she has to worry about is where she put her teeth during the night and can she find her underwear the next day. Even then, somebody helps her with those
Long Distance Caregiving – Emotional Dynamics Read More »
Because I am the Long Distance Caregiver in our family, I see Mom only on major holidays or when I manage a few days of extra vacation. The hard part is that I rarely see my family and miss them all the time. Yet the positive aspect is that I easily observe the changes in
Long Distance Caregiving – Observe the Changes Read More »
Since I am an author, I’m constantly looking into how research builds hope. Plus, “The Unraveling of Reverend G” and the rest of the books in my series deal with Alzheimers and dementia. So research is a must. I find it easy and enjoyable to do research. I study everything I can find about caregiving,
Long Distance Caregiving – Research Builds Hope Read More »
As our loved ones journey through Alzheimers and/or dementia, it’s important that we keep in regular contact with the rest of the family. Even though we live hundreds of miles away, we still have a significant role to play. I call my sister each week and my brother about every other week. My sister is
Long Distance Caregiving – Regular Contact Read More »
A friend recently encouraged me to define my role as a long-distance caregiver. How would a defined role help me deal with my guilt and anxiety whenever I drive away from Mom? But the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. Define my role and maybe even give myself a job
Long Distance Caregiving Read More »