Christmas and tuna pie

Almost every day now Mike asks me what I am going to give him for Christmas, over and over and over again. I'm planning to give him a tablet (ipad or android). Mike's sister, Lynn, said the speech therapist at her school knows several programs that would be good for Mike to use, play, memory challenges, etc.  So Mike says "What are you giving me for Christmas?" pause "ipad for Christmas."  After several repetitions, then it becomes "I paid for Christmas." :-) Have to see the humor in these repetitions in order to stay sane!

Last night, I asked Catherine to make a tuna pie. Something Mike and I both like and haven't had for awhile.  Well...he heard me talking with her and he wanted tuna pie NOW!  Could hardly get him through his shower and it doesn't do any good to try to rationalize with him that it isn't done yet, has to be cooked, he has to be patient, etc. (but, of course, I try.) Right after his shower, he went and sat at the dining room table, ready to eat that tuna pie.  It was 5:20 and it was due to be done at 6:00. We promised him we would tell him right when it was done. I was able to distract him and he watched a little bit of news, but wouldn't really settle down and wait until I sat beside him with a bit of mending to do. After the long awaited pie was ready to eat and we had enjoyed our supper, he said "that's a keeper!"  :-) Thank you, Catherine! Was delicious.

Saw Dr. Sullivan yesterday. He said as long as the wound is open, there will likely be bacteria in it, but did take another culture. Have to wait for those results. I asked if there was anything else that could be done, because once again the skin is closing but the undermining remains.  He did use a silver nitrate stick up in the wound and said that sometimes that will promote healing. He also had his assistant make an appointment at the wound clinic when a plastic surgeon is there to see if something else can be done from their end. We have that appointment next Tuesday at 9. Please continue to pray that this will close and heal properly. Somehow I just believe this is a huge part of Mike's behavior issues also.

Please pray for me also. I am having more trouble with my back, hips, and down my right leg. Yoga moves and stretches that used to be so easy and fluid for me are not now.  I'm taking a little break from yoga, or at least not doing as much to see if I've strained something and it needs some time to heal.  Dr. Mike (chiropractor) has been great about giving me tips on how to sit, squat,and bend properly to try to protect my back as much as possible.  Yesterday I just became very aware of how often I squat, bend, pull, etc. in helping Mike or just doing daily activities.  My Mom recently read an article about caregivers and reminded me about being on airplanes and how they always tell the parent to put on their oxygen mask first so that then they can help their child get theirs on. I'm trying to make time to take care of myself also and even just allow myself to not be productive, just something fun, restful, or frivolous.  Last night, Keegan's pastor's wife, Barbara, came over and we just enjoyed talking - I felt more like a "normal" person. At the brain injury caregiver support group meeting, the leader talked about watching out for and the very real possibility of caregivers ending up with Secondary PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder).  I can see how it happens.

I just came across my notes from Sunday's sermon and wanted to share them with you. Dr. Jeff Roberts is the senior pastor at Trinity Baptist and his sermon was "to the point". I like that.  Here's some of what I wrote down.  The Scripture was Exodus 33:12-23. We want God to show up. Respond. God was not put off by Moses' boldness. When we really seek God, He will meet us there. Am I seeking God or what I want Him to give me? God says trust my character, stand, wait. We must have patience in the dark. Moses was in the dark when God placed His hand over him in order for all of God's goodness to pass by and so that Moses wouldn't see God's face and die. Seems dark, but God is there. What we learn in the light, we need and carries us through the dark. Phil. 4:4-7 "The Lord is near".  God gave Moses a glimpse of His glory, Moses couldn't have handled any more. All is not clear now, but ALL of God's goodness can be seen in His wake. We can see where He has been.

As I said in a previous post, this is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. God humored Moses' request to "Now show me your glory." How Bold is that?!  This is G-O-D, he's talking to! But God, in His infinite wisdom and love, protected Moses, placed him in the cleft of the rock, covered him there, and let Moses get a glimpse.  I also picture God picking up Moses in His hand and putting him in the cleft. Huge hands, gentle touch. We just cannot fully comprehend this amazing God of ours. The point in Dr. Roberts' sermon that when Moses was in the dark he was covered by God's hand is so awesome to me! Even when we feel alone and in the dark, God's hand is there. The Lord is near. Scripture doesn't give us Moses' reaction to seeing the back of God, but I imagine it was breath-takingly awesome and probably left him shaking in his sandals! Just having seen God's back and spoken with Him left his face so radiant that the people were "afraid to come near him." Exodus 34:29-35.

There is NO ONE like our GOD! Go with Him today and be blessed.