From One Generation to the Next

I listened to a podcast recently about technology and kids, and the guest briefly mentioned she lived with her parents in a multigenerational home. While this was not the main point of the podcast, it got me thinking about what a blessing it is to provide daily care for my grandchild.

Our oldest was born when we were just 20 years old. Not only were we young and selfish, we were not Christians and had a very worldly view of children and family. My mother babysat on weekends and other times when she wasn't working so we could go do things we wanted to do. Selfish is the only word that comes to mind. I am honestly not sure if I even gave much thought to my mother's desires or the true benefit to my children of getting to spend time with their grandmother. I knew my kids were safe and I was free to pursue my own interests.

As I look back now, I am so grateful that my kids had as much time with my mom as they did, and that she loved them so much. I wish she would have lived longer so I could talk to her more about my foolishness back then and how thankful I am now for all that she did. Maybe this is just the nature of aging? The older I get, the more I realize how important time with family is. We love our grandbaby almost as much as her own parents do, so what a blessing to be able to pour into her life!

Two of my grandparents died before I was born. My father's father was an abusive alcoholic, and I remember meeting him once in a nursing home, where he told me you get freckles from wearing a straw hat in the sun. My mother's mother lived with us briefly when I was in my early teens before she went to a nursing home. She did not like me and made that clear. She once called me the "spawn of Satan" due to her hatred of my father, and I wrote more about that here. 

God has been so faithful to us! Our faithful Father has taught us over the years to put aside our own selfish desires, cherish time with family, and make Christ central in our lives. He has enabled us to be able to pour our time into Maddie, even before she is old enough to know the blessing of the rich heritage of faith and love surrounding her (and future grandchildren). 

Ever since we became Christians in 1998, my prayer has been that we might parent faithfully. I have prayed that we would see our children and our children’s children be raised in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and that God might be pleased to see generation after generation of our family live to follow and serve Christ!

Each person in our family has different strengths, gifts, and levels of patience, each of which will be useful in the lives of all the grandchildren we may have. I believe God will use these multigenerational relationships to refine us, teach us humility, and make us less self-serving. Our grandkids will see a genuine faith modeled by different generations in everyday life, resembling a micro-version of the body of Christ.

Glory be to God!

“One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts.”

Psalm 145:4 (ESV)

Until Next Time~

Shari

Choose Your Own Ending

 When you were a kid, did you ever read a "choose your own ending" adventure book? I have fond memories of reading books like that, and my super organized personality (yes, even back then) made me go through the book many times to combine every possible story telling option. It was fun to see all the different ways a story could progress if just one choice had been changed. Unfortunately, our lives are not like that. We don't get to go back in time and choose a different pathway to see if it leads to a better outcome. 

My breast cancer journey began almost 6 months ago now. There have been a lot of twists and turns, and choices I have had to make. Currently we have decided that I cannot tolerate any of the three available aromatase inhibitors, so I will start the fourth and final medication on Monday. It is a different type of drug, and works differently, so hopefully I can tolerate the tamoxifen, and it does what it is supposed to: prevent cancer recurrence.

Chad and I joke sometimes about doctors and the term "practicing medicine" as it does seem like they are all still practicing! I have met with an oncologist, surgeon, radiologist, and each of them has a physician assistant, so there have been 6 different medical professionals handling my case. You would think that a multitude would be good (and it very well might be) but it has also caused some confusion. One doctor says "the cancer is gone" and the next says they will order a test to be sure "the cancer hasn't spread". One tells me the medication is essential if I want to not have the cancer return, and another says they tend to over-medicate and my risk is low.  How is one supposed to navigate a system where even the educated medical professionals can't seem to agree?

I wish I could approach this like a choose your own ending book, and see which choices make the best outcomes, but that simply isn't reality. Instead, I spend a LOT of time researching on my own, talking to all 6 of my health care team members, discussing it with my family, and then I pick a path forward. I do not know where the path leads. I do not know what the foreseeable future holds.

One thing I do know is that ultimately my future is secure, entirely anchored in Christ (who He is and what He has already done) and not dependent upon my choices or the strength/health of my body. I make the best choices I can and move forward one day at a time.

1 Peter 1:3-9 (esv)

"3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls."

I would appreciate your prayers as I begin the new medication and continue to make difficult decisions. May God graciously provide me with many more years, but I fully trust whatever my God ordains is right! 💜

Until Next Time~

Shari