We are having another unbelievable winter here. Snow and snow and snow. It is not a nice time for anyone I know. Gives a new meaning and emphasis to "be thankful in all things..."
My sister and I went to my parents after shoveling out (again) tonight. Mom had a time of wakefulness and while she is still very weak and tired and somewhat confused, we had an enjoyable time. She was mostly awake the whole time.
My mom has had her hair fixed at the beauty shop once a week for my entire life. That is, until she got so sick and weak. Now we are unable to get her out of the house at all and this presents a dillema. Some very wonderful inventor made a shampoo cap that is heated in the microwave and needs no rinsing.
Tonight I washed her hair with the shampoo cap, and was just going to get them air dry as she has a perm. I was hoping they would look nice enough to look "fixed." Then as I was towel drying her hair she asked me if I was going to set them in rollers! SOOOO out came the spongy rollers, piks and hairdryer.
Now, mind you I am doing all this while she sits in her recliner and I am unable to actually get cloe to her because of the proximity of the recliner to the wall and various pieces of equipment that surround her.
So I am leading over, putting the rollers in, ( I have 3 sons, this is foreign territory!) and got out the hairdryer. This hairdryer is about as old as me, and is a round base with a hose that plugs into the base and has a plastic inflatable cap on the other end. I put the plastic cap on her head and when I turned on the hairdryer, the motor went kaput!
SOOOO, I asked my sister to get her blow dryer and I turned it on and stood with the end of the hose up against the blow dryer and it filled the cap with air and dried her hair! (You had to see this to believe it)
When her hair was dry, I "fixed it." No hairdresser needs to worry one little bit! But once again, God provided an opportunity to make a memory and I am so very very thankful I had this chance to love on my mom tonight.
She said to me tonight when we were alone, "Well looks like the dawn is coming, huh?" I knew what she meant, and so I said, "Yes mom, I think so." She became fearful and I had the opportunity to minister to her soul a little too. I reminded her of what she told me (and everyone else who was listening in the airport one morning over 2 years ago), "I am a born again Christian, and Jesus is my Savior and when I die I am going to heaven."
I remember thinking to myself that day, "Thank You God for this confirmation!" Now that we have traveled this far, I can see God's hand in that bold proclamation.
I promised her tonight I would be with her at the end, and told her how wonderful it was going to be to see Jesus. I reminded her she would be able to see again, dance again, and breathe again! I told her she did not need to be afraid, that we would be sure she has no pain and is comfortable. She calmed down then and agreed with me.
When she leaves us, I will grieve, but I will not grieve as those who have no hope for I know, I know, I know, that she will be waiting for me when I get there! If God allows welcoming parties at the gates to heaven, she will be in mine!
I realized once again tonight I am so very, very blessed beyond ALL measure to be able to share this with her! PRAISE BE TO GOD!Labels: Parents