April 15, 2009:

Last night Tim and I went to the first of a six part series of meetings put on by the Alzheimer's Association. This first meeting was to get acquainted with the newly forming early onset group and there were five couples and a few extra care givers and the counselors for the group. There was a younger man and wife there, he has some type of dementia that has to do with the frontal lobe and his loosing his ability to speak. Tim has that as well, but mostly the disease is affecting his long term memory.

I thought that I might cry through the whole thing, but the older couples have been dealing with early onset (along with other disease processes) for 1-5 years and they show such grace that it really comforted me. This morning the robins were singing so loudly that I woke in the dark. We had our coffee in the dining room, watching the birds busily building their nests, planning their day. Tim talked about the garden and his plans.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 6 how to handle these situations, living day by day; seeking the Lord and His kingdom first of all.

26Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?31So do not worry, saying, What shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or What shall we wear?32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Nancy Thompson