this day

today has been a tough day.

a tough day after a series of tough ~ full, busy, exhausting ~ days.

today we moved my mother-in-law into an assisted living home. after 40+ years in the family home, 6 years after my father-in-law passed away, she moved.  unwillingly.  unhappily.

her decline has been heartbreaking to watch and as much as we would have liked (in some ways) to pretend like everything was fine, and she was fine, she was not.  everything was not fine.  whether she knows it or not, we see it and can't ignore her needs...even when she doesn't acknowledge them.

the day was spent as family and dear friends from church (who are very much family also) helped move and set up her new place to be as comfortable as possible for her.  as a dear friend enjoyed her company for the afternoon, the rest of us lovingly arranged furniture, hung clothes, made up her bed and hung all her favorite artwork.  we prayed over her new little home and asked that God would give her peace. and would give us peace.

she will spend her first night there tonight, her daughter nearby, and our prayers go out all the more fervently - Lord, grant her Your peace.

as i surfed pinterest just to distract myself from the headache brewing behind my eyes, i thought of the little book i've been writing in while my Bible study group reads 1000 gifts.  it's my own gifts list.

be thankful, i heard the Spirit say. what will you add to the list today?

i am thankful for:
~an uplifting church service this morning that reminded me that i have 10000 reasons to bless the Lord, that my God saves and brings hope in His name
~friends that care for my mother-in-law even when she doesn't understand their actions as care
~family that was able to come together and work together for her
~friends that can arrange furniture and hang pictures, who care enough to get it right
~my parents who spent the day with my kids to keep them busy and happy
~so many loving prayers that went out from people who weren't able to carry boxes
~the kind tenants of her new place that gave cheery hellos, for the lady who gushed about how much she loves living there
~my mother-in-law who, though she couldn't say she was happy to be there, was able to acknowledge how much work we had done for her
~my great God who loves us and cares about what we care about, who loves our loved ones more than we can even begin to imagine

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles, 

so that we can comfort those in any trouble 

with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.... 

On him we have set our hope that 

he will continue to deliver us,

as you help us by your prayers.

Then many will give thanks on our behalf 

for the gracious favor granted us 

in answer to the prayers of many.

2 Corinthians 1:3-4, 10-11