Once I finish my morning devotions and work on my Bible study, Saturday is a Mary Kay work day for me, so we have a wonderful caregiver named Elias who keeps Steve occupied around our property. I give him money to take Steve out for a weekly treat at Carl's Jr. down the hill from us at lunch time. One week he took Steve to watch the ducks down by the country club; another time recently, Elias took Steve for a hair cut. He's such a wonderful help as I make phone calls, do facials and makeovers!
The Lord has been my Provider of everything I could ever imagine, think or ask (Ephesians 3:20).
Another all-day project was to pray for the Anaheim Harvest Crusade, as I have been for the last few weeks. When I think of being a part of the crusades from the beginning, with Steve as an usher, me either as an on-field new convert counselor, and most years as part of, then leading, the prayer tower, my heart is so full of joy for the 400,000 people (not counting tonight and tomorrow) who have given their lives to the Lord for over 20 years! Every year we would take the kids and they would fill up our van with unsaved friends. Youngest kid Steven was a fine evangelist even in elementary school--his guests always went forward! What a privilege to lead others to Christ! Proverbs 11:30 says,
The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life,
And he who wins souls is wise.
Happily, Steve was able to stay awake and enjoy the worship bands and then almost all of Greg Laurie's message, shown here watching on our computer with Elias. Tomorrow we'll ahve friends over for the 4 p.m livestream "Harvest America."
As to my third project for today, it slowly dawned on me, while realizing that my guests were likely going to arrive after noon, that the Lord had something else to work on for the morning. He was telling me to return the Raincross Memory Care director's phone call from yesterday, and begin pinning down details such as how to pay to reserve a room for Steve. And how exactly will it work for Steve's long term insurance policy to get onto a billing cycle to pay for his room, board and 24-hour need for care and supervision? We have an appointment set for Tuesday morning.
As you may imagine, this decision has not come about lightly for me, as I still enjoy Steve's companionship. But I am also not able to stay awake both day and night; nor am I able to physically assist him with any but the most basic tasks. My sporadic arthritis is getting very painful, and while I'm not stiff--probably because I'm so active--my hands hurt when I need to turn him in the correct direction to walk to the car, attach and detach his seat belt, dress him, help him move his legs out of the car, and lead him from the car to the Calvary Chapel sanctuary. He is approved for a wheelchair, but I cannot lift one into the Jeep to take with us--I can barely lift and place my dad's lightweight walker in the back cargo area for our weekly outings! At least when I take Steve to his doctor on Monday for a California Physician's report to be filled out and to get his TB test done for Raincross, I can call ahead and the doctor's staff will come out to the car and wheel him away (and load him back into the Jeep after we're done)!
Another matter to consider is selecting a weekend when as many of our kids as possible can help move a queen bed, dresser, lamp and chair to the facility and set them up in Steve's shared accommodations in the secure memory care section. This means he'll have his own bedroom and share a handicap-safe bathroom with the gentleman in the bedroom on the other side.
Apparently September is "wedding month" for three of the kids. Heather is shooting a wedding in Newport Beach the 8th; Kriss is attending weddings of friends who were in his own wedding, on two Saturdays in a row; Pavel, our Heidi's husband, is in a wedding on the 15th. But Nick (Heather's husband), Heidi and Pavel can help, and both sons-in-laws' dads have trucks. So the 8th it is. I have yet to figure who can stay here with Steve while we all go set up over there so he can just go into a furnished room with his own things situated there already. I know the Lord will have the right person ready and willing.
I heard an inspirational, biblical message from Mary Kay director Jordan Eicher this morning, where she said, "God tells us "what" He's going to do, but doesn't necessarily tell us "how!" Her example was Luke 2:31, where the virgin Mary was told that she was going to conceive and bring forth a Son, and call His name JESUS, and that He would be great, called the Son of the Highest.
Her first question was "How can this be, since I do not know a man?" The angel told her the Holy
Spirit would overshadow her. Even though the answer was way outside of human understanding or experience, she simply committed herself to obeying God, saying,
Behold the maidservant of the Lord! Let it be to me according to your word (v. 38).
God tells us what He will do, and what we are to do, but often the "how" only gradually unfolds as we walk along, obedient to the heavenly vision He has been pleased to grant us. God told me to find a place for Steve, which I delayed for some weeks until now the need is critical. Now that I have a place selected, I am getting details in order more expeditiously, despite questions I still have, gaps in my "how!"
Back to busines: by lunchtime, I wondered "how" my business day could possibly turn out well, with hours spent getting things pretty for no one! But one friend came over; then a customer called to come down from Banning, and made some nice purchases. While doubting the finish of my week's goal, the Lord had another customer give me an order that wrapped it up within half hour of my deadline!
How, indeed? Not when God's in the lead!
Wonderful post. Praying for the how of the placement and the transition for both of you.
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