Mom has short-term memory loss, so when she looks up from her crossword puzzle and sees me in her room, she asks, “When did you get here?” I have multiple answers, “I flew in on Wednesday.” “I slept here last night.” “I’ve been sitting at my computer.” “I’ve been here, but you didn’t notice because I wasn’t talking.”

I’m spending two weeks in CA solely for the purpose of being with my mom and loving her up. An infection brought on confusion, and a little extra care has been needed. Once I had my schedule cleared to come, I began to look at these weeks as a blessing–and sometimes when things are prickly, I have to remind myself to stick to this attitude.

This is an interesting stage of life: caring for an elderly parent while already being in conversation with our children about them taking care of us as we get older. My husband and I joke that whoever we will live with each week will depend on their supper menus.

As we age, we can focus on the losses of beauty and strength, the addition of aches and pains, and the frustrations of intermittent brain function. Or we can focus on the hope, love, wisdom, and promises we enjoy as beloved children of God. Right now as I write this, it’s easy. And sometimes it takes real work to get to that place. The work always starts with praising God, which activates my faith, and then I’m back in God’s arms.