Today's Project: To speak or not to speak

2:25 p.m. Today's project was to decide whether to call with an objection to the drop-off hours by the bus that transports Steve in the afternoon from his adult daycare center that he started calling "school." Hopefully that suggests pleasant memories of learning and fun.

I had waited to complete my journal until I receive information I would want to lift up to the Lord, so I called the bus line and found out that the time they arrive home is dependent upon the time Care Connexxus has the clients lined up and ready to board. The Special Trans service sends many buses to that center, and on a given day, Steve's bus could be first in line, or last; and he may be the first stop or last. (A little vague, but I was listening). The phone representative tracked all of Steve's pick-up times at the center, as well as the times he was dropped off at home, and explained that if there were any cancellations on Steve's route, he could be the only rider, which might account for his arrival as early as 1:45 p.m. some days, when his usual had been 2:15 or 2:30. Things can be random, however, because at this writng, 2:50 p.m., he's not home yet!

I finished prayer time with Cara, during which she prayed for my call to be conducted in a friendly manner, with no hurt feelings on either side. Spirit-led, undoubtedly! There's no issue with Steve being home before 2 p.m., because he has to take meds at that time, and we like to enjoy our afternoons together. BUT, if I don't know when he's due to arrive, I have to hire caregivers to meet the bus. And their minimum agency assignment is 2 hours, a whopping $88.00 Steve's longterm care insurance is billed. And with my appointment-based business, I cannot always guarantee split-second timing for a client's gorgeousness!

It seemed the bus company representative had a good point, so I thanked the gentleman for his information, and considered his suggestion that I call Care Connexxus to see why the program was only 4 hours instead of the 6 hours the insurance is paying for. Always in the back of my mind is the need to be as frugal as possible with our care dollars, because at some point, Steve will need full time medical care, whether here at home or in a facility. Thats "frugal," not "stingy!" Proverbs 23:5 points out that we need to practice frugality with fleeting resources:

Will you set your eyes on that
which is not?
For riches certainly make
themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle
toward heaven.

I thought I'd give the daycare center a couple of hours to get past the influx of participants, and then call them.

After reviewing a Bible study lesson on God's voice being peaceful as well as authoritative, I decided not to call the daycare center with what could be seen as a negative inquiry, because they do a very good job with Steve. He enjoys attending, and if the bus drops him off an hour after their 8 a.m. start time, and family members might pick up their disabled loved ones after the buses leave, the center is still operating a full program. That gave me a peace instead of the nervousness I'd been feeling.

For any responsible adult who has enjoyed the God-given blessing of living a healthy, active and self-supporting lifestyle, it's just very different negotiating the uncharted territory of agencies, services, and programs for the disabled. But it's knowledge all of us would do well to learn and have available for a future day of need. That's wisdom!

James 3:17 says,

The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy.