Caregivers: Giving Thanks in Stressful Times

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Caregivers: Giving Thanks in Stressful TimesThanksgiving is a time to pause, enjoy family, and give thanks. For caregivers, families going through trying times, elderly and others, it can be difficult to see past the stress and count blessings.

Plans can change quickly, without warning.
A family going through trying times this week reminded me of the many reasons I have to be thankful. He had learned he has inoperable, terminal cancer. He is often in pain.  They were making plans to finally visit family in other states this summer. She is saddened and confused as their earlier plans are on hold and she perhaps faces a future without him.

How can you give thanks when tragedy strikes?
What do they have to be thankful for? To celebrate? We had barely expressed our love and concern when each of them beamed through tears as they voiced their thanksgiving thoughts.
She: “Praise God, we have some months together; he is home for the holidays and winter. Our friends and family can visit often and we can enjoy what time we have together.”  He: “God has been good to me through the years. I’m thankful for a good wife and family and a comfortable home to enjoy.”

A look at others gives hope and purpose.
She: “I am thankful for our good church family and friends who have brought us prepared meals so I don’t have to be concerned with how to feed everyone. I can turn my attention to him and to those who visit and call.”
He: (with tears streaming down his face) “More than anything else, I am thankful to say it’s okay, I know where I am going.”

If you get within hearing distance, he will ask you about your journey. “Are you going to Heaven? Are you sure?”
And she will give you hugs and ask how you are. “Can we do something for you? Are you okay?”

Turning our thoughts toward praise.

Do you find yourself grumbling or complaining when problems arise? It’s easy to get into that habit and lose sight of all we have. This Thanksgiving I’m determined to turn every single complaint, discouragement, or bump in the road into a “Thank You, Lord!”
Join me?

Hugs,

” … singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” Ephesians 5:19-20  Happy Thanksgiving!

Tips for Handling Grief during the Holidays

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Tips for Handling Grief during the HolidaysDealing with death of loved one and holidays.

Holidays are difficult for those who have lost loved ones. It becomes especially difficult to celebrate with family and friends when the loss is someone close, a parent, grandparent, spouse or child.

Adding to the difficulty is those feelings of “if only …” or “I wish I …” Often those feelings are not recent, but have been nurtured for months or even years. We can think “if only I would have done more, been more available, listened more closely, made better decisions,” Or, “I wish he/she were here for this gathering. I wish he/she could meet everyone, or see the beautiful decorations.”

We can be hurting others as we grieve.

When we dwell on the one who is absent, without realizing it, we may be cheating those who remain and even hurting them.

For instance, if you are at a holiday gathering or celebration and your thoughts and your conversations are continually dwelling on the one who has died, you are telling the host and the rest of the family that whatever they do will never be enough.

Tips to help face the seemingly unbearable during holidays.

Here are some ideas to help turn your thoughts away from yourself and onto others.

1. Accept the situation as it is: that person is gone; wishing it were different will only bring more sorrow and no solutions.
2. Remember fondly what your loved one enjoyed about the gatherings and honor them by expressing that joy for yourself and others.
3. Do not dwell on their absence. Everyone knows they are gone and sorely missed. Determine to love and honor those who remain and focus on their needs and preferences.
4. Occupy yourself with finding things to do for others. This could be real simple small projects or offers to help others prepare for the holidays. (A word of caution here, when someone says they really don’t need help, they may really prefer no help. If you sense that happening, move on.)
5. Volunteer during the holidays. Find some projects at church or in your community that you could help with and occupy your mind with others’ needs.

You can honor the one who is gone.

You will never forget that loved one, but you can honor his/her life by giving 100% of yourself to those who are present today.

Sending prayers your way as you prepare for a blessed and exciting time of Thanksgiving and fun.

Hugs,

For more tips on facing holidays with less stress, click here

Solve Gift-giving and Help Alzheimer’s Projects

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Solve Gift-giving and Help Alzheimer's ProjectsWelcome today my guest blogger, Joyce Ragland, with some exciting news for you!

Excitement! Anticipation! Twenty-one super talented, award-winning writers and artists generously donated their talents to make a charity book project. Proceeds from sales of paperback and e-books will benefit Alzheimer’s patients, who have a most difficult journey in their life’s final chapters.

Concern for Alzheimer’s patients and families means caring enough to become involved.
The Ella Ragland Art charity has funded Inter-Active music, donated Activity Aprons, cards, prints, dolls – and more directly to Alzheimer’s victims in Southwest Missouri. This book project is the start of a fund-raising campaign to expand our services to a larger Alzheimer’s patient population, geographically.

Originality and humor serve as backbone for Joyce’s exciting new book.
The book’s theme, “Travel in the Sixties,” served as a general guide for creativity. Submissions reveal originality, brilliance, empathy, and use of humor as a saving grace for all of us who experience our own life’s journey challenges. The pieces in this book are arranged in groups: “On Aging, Alzheimer’s and a Bucket List,” “Historical,” “1960s Civil Rights,” “Coming of Age in the 1960s,” “Humor & Nostalgia,” and “Speculative Fiction.” There is something for each reader and this book will make a great Christmas present for loved ones aged ten to one hundred.

To maximize sales for charity, click here to order Travel in the Sixties from Amazon.com E-books are also available for Kindle and NOOK. Locally, the books will soon be on shelves in Buffalo, MO at Hale’s Crossing and in Lebanon, MO at Whimsy on Commercial Street.

In addition to the book, we sell cards and prints made from Ella Ragland’s oil paintings at Whimsy in Lebanon, MO, MacCreed’s Gallery near Bennett Spring, and online at www.EllaRaglandArt.org. We also have a crowd-funding campaign online at http://www.gofundme.com/4oti04.

Note from Susie:    I know many of the authors of these stories: they are GOOD!  Be sure to click the link above and order your copy today.

Thank you, Joyce, for all you do to help promote and encourage research. Alzheimer’s and related diseases touch most of us at one time or another.

Hugs,

Joyce Ragland, Travel in the Sixties Editor
President, the Ella Ragland Art Charity – for Alzheimer’s Patient Projects
List Price: $11.98
5″ x 8″ (12.7 x 20.32 cm)
Black & White on White paper interior
204 pages
Paperback-Press, publisher
ISBN-13: 978-0692316870
ISBN-10: 0692316876
https://www.createspace.com/5059754