June 11, 2015

From June 4, My Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers.  When I read this type of devotional, I read it for application to my life but I also read it as it applies to Kathie’s life, I’m sometimes just left with just accepting the reading: 

“He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." —Hebrews 13:5

What line of thinking do my thoughts take? Do I turn to what God says or to my own fears? Am I simply repeating what God says, or am I learning to truly hear Him and then to respond after I have heard what He says? “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’ ” (Hebrews 13:5-6).

“I will never leave you…”— not for any reason; not my sin, selfishness, stubbornness, nor waywardness. Have I really let God say to me that He will never leave me? If I have not truly heard this assurance of God, then let me listen again.

“I will never…forsake you.” Sometimes it is not the difficulty of life but the drudgery of it that makes me think God will forsake me. When there is no major difficulty to overcome, no vision from God, nothing wonderful or beautiful— just the everyday activities of life— do I hear God’s assurance even in these?”

Monday, our youngest, Hannah, graduates from high school a happy process, she is also preparing to move to Flagstaff and attend Northern Arizona University in the Fall, a scary process. Hannah and I have looked back on the last four years of high school and discussed all the changes in her life. I, of course, am living the last 18 years of memories.

Daughter Madison is in town until the middle of July, it is fun to see how four years of college has helped her mature, she will finish up next May. She and I visited Kathie last Sunday then talked about how difficult visiting Kathie can be. The stress of the visits over the years is evident in the strength she has and the thoughts she shares with me.

Last night I sat next to Kathie’s bed, massaging her neck, I was appreciating my pneumatic chair that I bought so I can adjust to her bed height, and the evening when by uneventful, we watched the television, I kissed her goodbye and told her how pretty she looked. Some of my visits can seem so normal (for me), but I always appreciate kissing her soft cheek. 

Today, I will assist with Kathie’s haircut and she will be patient for the most part. She will sigh deeply when she has sat too long and let us know to speed up the process, then off to the whirlpool bath so she can relax.

A big summer of adjustment are ahead for our family, “If I have not truly heard this assurance of God, then let me listen again.”

Blessings,

Dave