Eighteen months ago I became a grandma. Over two years ago mom was losing her ability to walk due to complete blockages of both femoral arteries, and needed surgery, which she postponed out of indecision, fear, and other factors, then it got postponed again in the midst of the “second wave” of covid hospitalizations. Eighteen months ago she finally had that surgery that was meant to restore her circulation to her lower extremities and hopefully restore her mobility. I fought tooth and nail for her rehab with Humana and was dirced to make lots of decusions, including financial, that I definitely didn’t sign up for.  She had many complications during and after surgery, (hypoxemia, anemia, kidney failure, dialysis, covid, falls, bradycardia, skin tears– until cardiology wanted to send her to Charleston for electrophysiology cardiologist consult for pacemaker, and we finally decided enough was enough) so instead, 7 months ago she entered hospice. Living in Rural WV meant a lot of travel for care like that and already, it was all she could tolerate for two people to get her to even a local doctor. Now she is at the stage referred to in hospice care as transitioning, when a person essentially goes from dying slowly to dying faster, or “actively dying”. Between frequently traveling to/staying in her home in WV to administor and manage her care I have been working at online reselling when home, in order to help pay for the aid who has been coming the last several months until her Medicaid home care waver could be processed. It finally was in place starting last week although I initiated the application process last summer-into-autumn. Now the aid is there 36 daytime hours per week, but the family is still paying out of pocket for her 24 night care hours. Between the travelling and selling we have also helped our military son and daughter-in-law with the baby (now toddler) during their temporary duty/reserve training/drill weeks, etc. Our son left full time Army,  trained as an EMT working nights, then our Daughter in law enlisted, and our son went into the reserves.

Mom has suffered a lot, had periods of putting in a lot of effort to recover, only to have setback upon setback and now dementia and weakness have got the upper hand.  She started a month or so ago seeing and dreaming about dead loved ones and talking about passing away, and we were told yesterday things could change really fast from this point.

Posting has been more sporadic during these last 18 months under the circumstances, and if I don’t post for a while, you guys will know why.

So much has happened to move the world closer to the tribulation and prophetic fulfillments laying down the groundwork for the end of the church age. America is so weakened, and Jerusalem is taking on that “burdensome stone” role that Zechariah 12 warned about.

My husband and I finally found a church, after nearly 8 years, that teaches the whole Bible expositionally, seems quite aware of the late hour, and awake to the prophetic significance of whats happening in the world. We have only been attending about 4 months, but the Holy Spirit is alive there and ministry is geared the day and age in which we are living here and now. Focus on mission, prayer for revival, genuine worship, with teaching time not dictated by the clock.

I appreciate all your prayers these many months. God sent a wonderful Christian aid who has made this time bearable and manageable, who truly loves, and lovingly cares for Mom, as well as wonderful hospice nurses and respite care for my nephew who lives with her and though on the autism spectrum, newly diagnosed in his 30s, has been the in-home constant caregiver. Please pray for him, for salvation/psychological, and to become self supported in the coming period when Mom passes. My folks raised him and his sister (two of their 11 grandkids) as a second family after raising my brothers and I, as well as having adopted and raised their mom, who by birth was our cousin. Mom’s not had an easy breezy life. Her coming rest is well earned, but the separation is never easy or painless.

Soon our son and daughter in law will likely face reassignment, possibly to Korea, and so we have relished and cherished time with our grandbaby. Please pray for decisions they will face, including education/training/career paths, whether to be separated by deployment, for a year while our son goes to Forest Ranger academy and Daughter in law to Korea for 1 yr, or whole family goes for 2 years. Please pray for our other son (Air Force), as well, finishing his Bachelors in Mechatronics and soon decision whether to re-enlist. Please pray most of all for their spiritual commitments to the Lord, conviction, and calling, as both are professing believers but neither are in church. We still pray those “dangerous prayers” for our boys, for God to get a hold, and not let the enemy deceive, destroy, and steal, and waste their days and lives and hearts and minds and souls, no matter what it takes. We know that could entail heartache. But so be it. This life isn’t a game and the enemy is not playing, and especially for our grandbaby.

I pray that you all are clinging to faith, trusting the Lord, still looking for that blessed hope of Titus 2:13. I’m sorry I haven’t kept up as much the past few years. Trying to keep a balance, I have to trust the Lord knows my part and none of these demands were a surprise to Him.

One thing the selling has done, is opened an opportunity to give the gospel in tract form with each sale. We never know what God is doing with the seeds that get scattered.

Keep on walking, we’re almost there.