One of the greatest blessings I have in my life is my wife, Brenda. For 33 years we have enjoyed the highs and lows of living together in this beautiful yet broken world. By far the greatest challenge we have faced together was watching the devastating effects of David’s disease and his ultimate death. It rocked our relationship with each other and our relationship with God. Often at the end of a day caring for David we had very little left over for each other. It wasn’t that we didn’t love each other. We just didn’t have anything left to give. Our tanks were empty. As I look back, I wished I would have done two things more consistently:
- Tell her I loved her more often
- Prayed for her to experience and believe in God’s love for her and David
Maybe today you could do these two things for someone you love!
Dear David,
This morning you woke up having totally wet yourself, the bed, sheets, and blankets. What is surprising is you had no idea you had done it. These are new waters for us. Your Mom was so good at getting you to the bathroom and getting you cleaned up. You are so blessed to have her as your Mom. She loves you so much. I remember being embarrassed for her when she would see you buck naked. I still feel a twinge of discomfort for her, yet she is really OK with it. Sometimes I watch her in awe as she cares for you and organizes your aides. She never complains, she is constantly looking for better ways to meet your needs, and counts it a blessing to be your Mom. David, if and when you pray for Mom please pray she connects with God in a special and intimate way. Being honest, your disease really has challenged our faiths in different ways. I want Mom to be overwhelmed by God’s love for you and for her. Sometimes she is too hard on herself. She is such a blessing to me David. I don’t know how I would be able to do what I do without her. I need to tell her I love her more. I am blessed to care for you with her. Well buddy, I want to read my Bible. When I’m done let’s jump in the hot tub. I hope you will have the strength to get out. The last few times have been difficult guiding you out of the tub. Love you Buddy. Dad.