Fear of the unknown...

While waiting for an appointment to speak with our tax preparer a few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to talk with his wife, with whom I had only shared polite greetings before.

Since my last appointment with our accountant a year ago, he had moved his office into a lovely new home. I told his wife how beautiful I thought their new home and office was, and she preceded to tell me the reasons behind the move. The most important reason, she told me, was that they had moved her mother with Alzheimer's in with them. Building a new home, they could design a bedroom and bathroom for her mother that would accommodate the needs of an older person, and life was much simpler for all of them by connecting the office with the house.

As we talked about what it means to care for elderly parents in our home, she told me that others had tried to discourage her.

You have no idea what you are getting yourself into.

Your mother is going to reach a point where you are not going to be able to care for her.

It's going to get too hard.

The truth is, none of us know what awaits us around the corner, but God does...

in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.
~ Psalm 139:16

I also know that when life gets hard, God's wisdom and grace will be abundant for the moment.

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

*Photo - Highway 24 between Chattanooga and Nashville