Many years ago the Lord impressed on my heart the importance of quality time with my parents. Even though we were next-door neighbors, life was busy enough that it was easy for several weeks to go by without having quality, individual talking time. As I asked the Lord for the solution, He encouraged me to simply make a plan and then use it. So we began going out to eat together once a week on a designated day.
A couple of years into that, my dad was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. Those lunches out became even more valuable to my heart. Before long, he needed a walker to get around so we took that walker with us to help him get into the restaurant and back to the car.
Then my dad’s health deteriorated to where he needed a wheel chair. Just a few months before that, Steve and I had begun doing some weight lifting for exercise. Little did I know that was going to prepare me to be able to lift a wheel chair into and out of the trunk of a car so I could still take my dad and mom out for our weekly lunch date. That was one of the two times a week he would get out.
Now that he is gone, my mom and I still have our weekly lunches out. Then we stop at the grocery store together on the way home. I am very grateful that Lord encouraged me to invest in relationships that were and are important and special to me.
Trusting in Jesus,
Teri
“Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens;
and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.”
Psalm 36:5
Such sweet blessings! I pray when we retire from the AF we are able to be closer to family so that we too can make these kind of memories.
Love this! I spend an evening with my parents with my husband but I also schedule one-on-one time with my parents as well. They have so much wisdom to impart and I love hearing what’s going on in the neighborhood.
So very true. Sometimes we must be intentional about scheduling the time for the people who are most important to us, otherwise we can get preoccupied and time seems to slip away before we realize it. I’m sure your mom treasures the time together. I always enjoy seeing her included in so many of your family gatherings, and how very special to have four generations of family together!
Mrs. Maxwell: That must be one of the most radiant & joy-filled pictures of you I have ever seen! How wonderful that you have that more-precious-than-gold time with your mother and the bitter-sweet memories of your lunches with your dad. So blessed are you!
The picture of the two of you reflects the happiness that shared time brings to both of you. Thank you for sharing.
You are truly blessed, Teri. I never lived in the same town as my mother after I married, and the military took Gary and I all over the world. She passed away in May, just before Mother’s Day. However, my elderly next door neighbor lost her husband last year. She only has one son who is largely uninvolved, and no grandchildren. I have been able to be a daughter to her. It has blessed me tremendously. I helped her move to a retirement center last year. I see her regularly now. We go out to eat and I also take her shopping, to the cemetery, doctors, etc. I always make the next week’s date to see her before I leave her every week. Having a set time makes it work for both of us. You give great advice. Thank you! And perhaps some other ladies who live away from parents can fill someone else’s lonely heart with time and love. It’s a pure joy.
Terri, thank you for the beautiful reminder to “stop and smell the roses.” I get so busy in the life roles of help meet and mother and don’t take time to fulfill the joyous role of daughter to my beautiful parents. This would allow balance at home (Mom is away (3hr drive) and Dad has more room encouraging his unique dynamic with the children). I LOVE my parents….and feel selfish when I don’t “share them” each and every time…thank you for your photo and encouragement, as always.
Thanks for this good advice, Teri – I think God meant it just for me!