Aging Parents

About this time 22 years ago, my mother unexpectedly passed away with an aneurism. We were all in shock, to say the least because she seemed to be in very good health. My parents had recently celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary and she was a stay-at-home wife, mother and grandmother. She always doted on her children and grandchildren, and of course we were all devastated over losing her so quickly at the age of 62. I can only now sympathize with my dad over his feelings of loneliness and frustration as he tried to go about his daily life without his one and only sweetheart.

After a few months of fighting loneliness, his need to have someone to do things with grew stronger. He then asked a lady from his church to go out to eat and from then on their friendship blossomed. They married a year later and they have been married for 21 years. They are both now in their 80’s.

I have been so blessed to still have my dad who is 88 years young, still mows his lawn, fishes in tournaments with his bass club, works out three days a week at the fitness center, does chores around the house and much, much more.

Even though he is in good shape and is still very active, I know it won’t be long until my brother and I will have to be making some important decisions regarding his welfare. This came to my attention just this week when he fell outside in the yard and bruised his chest and had to have his hand bandaged from falling in the gravel.

This is where the Serenity prayer comes in: God grant me the SERENITY to accept the things I cannot change; COURAGE to change the things I can; and WISDOM to know the difference. Life is always about change and I need to be ready to make those life changing decisions with the help of God. James 1:5, “If you need wisdom- if you want to know what God wants you to do – ask Him, and He will gladly tell you.” Also, Phillipians 4:19, “ This same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”