To be honest, today is a day I feel pretty ambivalent about.
Today my sister, Jean comes to stay with my wife and I for the next six months. The other six months of the year, she stays with my other sister, and her husband. We decided to share the responsibility when our parents passed away. Jean is 62, has downs syndrome, difficulty walking, needs help with a lot of self-care things, is not especially appreciative, and can be very stubborn.
I love Jean and sometimes she can be sweet, but it is still a lot of work to have her here. Our time is much more constrained as there are extra meals to be made, much more laundry, physical therapy to do, showers to give, doctors to see, etc., etc. My wife and I are no longer on our own, unencumbered. The whole atmosphere is totally different. You can’t just get up and go do something. It has to be carefully planned. We are in our sixties and our kids are grown. This is taking us back to those toddler/infant days.
In the big picture of course, it could be much more difficult. Jean has very few serious medical needs. She can feed herself and is generally content to be on her own. Still, life is about to change radically for the next six months. Again.
This was all first and in the forefront of my thoughts this morning as I began my usual Bible study. I am reading the New Testament in order and am in Timothy. I read a chapter each day and write down passages that resonate. This morning was Chapter 5 in Timothy. And here’s a little gem that just happened to be there:
“But those who won’t care for their relatives, especially those in their own household, have denied the true faith. Such people are worse than unbelievers.” — Timothy 5:8 NLT
