Meditation Times with Elma

Psalm 32:10 Surrounded by saving love

“Many are the woes of the wicked,

But the LORD’s unfailing love

surrounds the one who trusts in him.”

Even after she was in The Home, it was so frustrating. I’d often come and find her slumped over in her chair. Even awake, she’d be atilt, pillows pushed under one side to get her up half straight. We didn’t realize it at first; but, through all those months—who knew how long?—UTI’s had been deci-mating her.

Though she was still talking then, and mostly cogent, she was often out of her head, manic. She patrolled the corri-dors in her wheelchair, up and down, back and forth, “polishing the floors to keep them shiny,” she told us. At one point, lasting several weeks, they had her reclined—flat out—in her wheelchair (I never knew why); but she was propelling herself backwards in the corridor and slamming herself into the wall.

We heard they were making many drug-changes; but it was impossible to discuss it with the doctor assigned to her, for we could never get an appointment with him. Finally, with a new doctor, we were able to deal with the UTIs, and Elma was able to become a little more recognizably herself.

After I myself moved into The Home—on the scene and with her medications leveled out—life began to take on some-thing like normalcy. Initially, though, when I brought Elma to our apartment, she fought coming into it. She physically resisted going through the door saying, “This isn’t the right place.” (I had to laugh.) So, once getting her inside, I intro-duced her to it, announcing, “This is now our new apartment.”

(Our talk time): The psalm says, “the Lord’s blood-sworn commitment to help surrounds those who trust in Him.” It’s surrounding us, Elma. And not only that, but His saving, inter-vening love has been at work arranging all this for us.

Look at it. We get to be under the same roof together now . . . Here in our apartment, I can give you snacks, and read to you . . . You can nap; I can nap . . .We’ll get to play music and talk, and have our little kisses . . . And all of this daily while I work on the computer, or make my phone calls . . . It’s as close to being home as we can get. Elma, we’re so lucky, so blessed. It says, “The Lord’s saving love surrounds those who trust in Him.” Jesus talks about moving mountains. Well, His sworn Saving Love is a moving force for those who trust Him, and It has been working good things for us.

Back in her room for bedtime—a tight little room with double-occupancy and a divider-curtain—we close the day together. There’s a little scripture bit I’ve picked, and always one of our evening hymns, then our night prayers—and, of course, the face-hugs. (Since body-hugs are now so impos-sible, we still get to have lots of “face-hugs”—with all our little kisses slipped in. All that, so important!)

Underneath are the Everlasting Arms. O Lord, you lifted us up when we were falling. You hear our cry and save us.

Thanks, Lord, for surrounding us with your saving love.

Guard over Elma’s heart and mind this night, in Christ Jesus. Give her sweet peace, and joy in the morning. (Face-Hug, and kiss.)

HELP THEM TO EXPERIENCE SOME NORMALCY