God’s Blessings and Faithfulness

Your steadfast love, O LORD, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. — Psalm 36:5 ESV

Recently, while thinking of my mom, I was reminded of a time when God’s blessing was wrapped in unexpected challenges.

A Journey of Joy and Connection

Several decades ago, my mom moved into the assisted living quarters of a beautiful care facility, which was necessary due to injuries sustained from a car accident. She was 83 years old, and this had been her home for the past eleven years. She loved it! Mom went to all the events — trips to the store, game nights, arts and crafts, and movie nights. We talked on the phone almost every day. I visited in person two or three times a week, paid all her bills, and life was good.

Several years passed, and the unexpected signs of dementia began to appear. Mom remained in the assisted living quarters of the facility for almost seven more years. However, for safety reasons, moving her to the memory care portion of the center became necessary.

About halfway through Mom’s time at the care center, her sister fell and broke her hip

while taking a walk in her Dallas, Texas, neighborhood. My aunt never had any children, and my uncle was deceased, so I volunteered to be her family support. While I lived with my family in Arizona and my mom was just about twelve miles from me, it was clear that many flights to Dallas were in my future.

Aunt Maxie was one sharp lady, and it was pure delight to be in her company. After looking at several assisted living centers, I narrowed it down to three. Maxie and I went to see them together, and she made her selection. I orchestrated the sale of her house and hired movers who specialized in moving senior citizens. They helped her get situated and accustomed to her new surroundings.

It was a lot between my day job, trips to Dallas, visiting Mom, and doing everything we do to keep a household going. One Saturday, I headed out to see Mom, and it started raining. Torrential, sideways rain covered the windshield until I couldn’t see. I pulled into a parking lot to wait out the storm, and suddenly, my eyes filled with tears that wouldn’t quit. I was physically tired and soul-weary.

As I sat in the car in the middle of an empty lot, I felt as if I was drowning and began crying out to God.

At that moment, the rain stopped just as suddenly as it had begun. I pulled myself together and drove another ten minutes to the care center. I parked the car and paused momentarily to gather my thoughts. I was flooded with memories of my encounters with these two beautiful women. The Lord’s presence was strong, and I felt God telling me how blessed I was to spend time with them.

The Priceless Joy of Sisterly Bonds and Shared Memories

I continued to facilitate their weekly phone calls and listen to their stories. My aunt would remind Mom that she was her sister, and off they’d go down memory lane, with Maxie leading the way. Alone in my car, realizing how priceless it was to witness these lessons of love, sweet tears of joy covered my face.

God blessed me richly during my time with Mom and Aunt Maxie. Serving these women was a joy — helping them stay connected, loving them, and being loved by them.

My mom escaped the captivity of dementia at age ninety-four and went to be with the Lord. After surviving the deaths of all her siblings, four months later, my aunt died peacefully in her sleep at age ninety-eight.

I often hear the echo of Aunt Maxie’s words. “I’m ready to fly away and see my Jesus face-to-face.”

God's Transformative Love in Challenging Times

Looking back at this challenging, bittersweet time, I praise God for his steadfast goodness. God took what had become a stressful situation and transformed my heart to see it through His eyes of love.

I’m in awe of God’s consistent faithfulness. Yet, it’s in our nature to forget His good works. In Psalm 36:5, the psalmist reminds us to praise God as he tells God that his steadfast love extends to the heavens and his faithfulness to the clouds. When we praise God despite our circumstances, we see God’s heart and love Him even more.

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Prayer: Dear Jesus, help us to be aware of your presence in everyday moments, even when our souls are weary you are still there. Transform our hearts to see your presence during difficult times. Thank you for soothing our souls, renewing our minds, and refocusing our eyes back on you. Amen.

Your Turn: Life has a way of surprising us, but God shows up in the unexpected. When life feels overwhelming, how do you shift your perspective back to God’s blessings? Remember, despite the trials of life, God’s faithfulness is unshakeable. When you experience the blessings of God during difficult times and express your gratitude, His steadfast love is never-ending.