Sufficient Grace

I am in the process of moving some of my earlier Facebook posts about my journey with Alzheimer’s and Momma over to my blog. I’m still taking care of Momma, but now she is staying in my home. My sister still comes to help out every other week or so. Thankfully, we made it through winter, spring and summer 2017. Now, we’re almost saying goodbye to fall, and I’m still seeing that when I am weak, He is strong. His grace really is sufficient.

Facebook journal entry dated February 22, 2017

My sister comes every other week and spends two nights with mom, affording me the opportunity to do a few of my favorite (or needful) things. Wayne and I usually eat dinner or lunch out a time or two. It’s just nice to be home. Together. This week we hung up some pictures together and I got to spend a little bit of the past two days in my garden.

In February. In Wisconsin. Crazy, huh?

I like to keep a pad of paper next to my favorite chair. This pad has my running to-do list on it. Lots of things are crossed off on that list (a very rewarding feeling), but the “clean out the flowerbeds” job has been on my to-do list for several months now. My normal window of opportunity to clean out my numerous flowerbeds sort of passed me by when I began staying with mom full-time in September. I thought it might have to wait until Spring. Well, our unusually warm weather – coupled with the timing of my sister’s visit – allowed me to get out there and pull away perennials which had died back with the killing frost.

But, yesterday, my favorite chair in the living room kept calling my name. I would fill a 5-gallon bucket with weeds and then go in and rest. Then I’d come out again, fill another bucket, then go in and rest. By evening, I had to face the fact that I was sick. My throat ached. My ears ached. Every muscle in my body was tired and achy. I crawled into bed, piled blankets on my chilled body, then tossed and turned in feverish sleep until morning.

Morning arrived too soon. I dragged my still achy body out of bed and drove over to my mother’s apartment. I said my goodbyes and thank yous to Viv, then grabbed my pillows and blanket and camped out on the couch. All day. ALL day.

I didn’t tell mom I was sick. I didn’t want to worry her. I had already exposed her to whatever this was the day before, so decided to just tough it out on her couch. About the time I dragged myself to the table to have my supper of chicken noodle soup provided by my loving hubby, mom did notice. She took one look at me as I walked past her and told me I looked horrible and that I might look better if I brushed my hair. (Ha!)

Ugh! How could I possibly take care of mom? I barely had energy to take care of myself.

I tried to pay attention to what mom needed while I alternated sipping tea and half-snoozing on the sofa. Mom was looking for something in her dresser drawers; I went into her room and helped her find her lotion. She wanted to sweep her patio, but didn’t know where her broom is kept; I retrieved it from the front closet. She was hungry; I put on gloves and made her a sandwich. She was thirsty; I got her something to drink. She needed to go to the bathroom fast; I brought her walker over to her so she could get there in time. As Mom was scooting by me, she said, “I’m so glad you’re here. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Mom’s little pronouncement was the gentle reminder that even when I can give only a little bit, that little bit done in God’s strength and in His name, is enough. His grace is sufficient.

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. — 2 Corinthians 12:9

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