'Dear Friends' March 2013
Week of March 4, 2013
Prayer Requests
Sometimes 'Caregiving Sacrifices'
Come Before 'Lenten Sacrifices'
Dear Friends:
Over the years we’ve pointed out to caregivers that
this particular Lent, in the middle of helping their
loved one, might not be a time when they can make their
usual Lenten sacrifices.
God knows, and caregivers are often
reminded, that caring for another person can mean making
sacrifices. At the very least, it can mean less sleep,
less of “your own” time, and less peace of mind. (It can
take deliberate effort and deliberate acts to relax. Or
try to.)
None of this is to say you don’t want to
help your loved one. But “wanting to” doesn’t mean it’s
easy. Then, too, when you’re overwhelmed not just by
your caregiving duties but all your other
responsibilities, it can be natural and normal to not
want to. Not right now. Just not now.
That feeling doesn’t mean you’re a bad
caregiver and it doesn’t mean you're a bad person.
It means you’re human. And, it probably
means you're overloaded. Sometimes that unavoidable
but . . . We humans can’t constantly operate on
“overload.”
At a calm time (yes, those come, too),
consider what duties you might be able to have someone
else do. (Pick up that prescription, for example. ). And
think about tasks you might do not as well or as
frequently as you would like to do or would normally do.
(“Spring cleaning”? Not this year. Maybe not even
vacuuming this week . . . or next.)
As a caregiver, your obligation is to take
care of your loved one . . . and yourself.
These three Topics talk more about this:
Exhaustion: Care for the Caregiver
Respite Care
God Knows Caregiving Is Hard
- - -
Again this week we cordially
invite you to join
the Friends of St. John
the Caregiver! (FSJC's programs include
YourAgingParent.com and
CatholicCaregivers.com.) You can find out more about
becoming a member
here.
No meetings, no dues. All we ask is that
you pray for caregivers and those receiving care. Our members include
caregivers, care-receivers, and those who support both
(including quite a few former caregivers).
You can:
sign up on-line here
or call us toll-free at
1-800-392-JOHN (5646)
or
print and mail an application form.
God
bless you!
Bill
To
contact us
To
join
FSJC
To make a
donation
To view or make
prayer
requests
Materials
order form
Past
"Dear Friends"
letters
"Among Friends" quarterly newsletter
Week of March 11, 2013
Prayer Requests
'I
Accept . . . Dear God, Help Me!'
Dear Friends:
No one knows which cardinal will be elected pope at the
conclave scheduled to begin tomorrow, March 12, but this
is certain: The life of one cardinal is going to change
. . . dramatically.
In a sense, the same holds true for caregivers. None of
us knows when we'll be asked to become a caregiver but,
odds are, it will change our lives . . . dramatically.
And odds are, if you're already a caregiver, it's
happened to you.
Here are some thoughts on that role, that
vocation, from "The Basics of Catholic Caregiving." This
section is titled "The Spirituality of Caregiving."
Caregiving may be a new role for you.
It might have happened suddenly: your loved one
had a stroke, was in an accident, or was discharged
from the hospital still needing extensive care.
Or it might have been gradual: he or she, over
time, has come to depend on you more and more.
No matter how you arrived at this point, no
matter what your particular responsibilities and
concerns have become, you may find it helpful to
realize – or to consider once again – that there is
a spiritual component to caregiving. To pause for a
moment and make the conscious decision to be
your loved one’s caregiver. To accept this role. To
acknowledge this God-given vocation.
God has asked you, just as Jesus asked St.
John, to take care of someone he loves. More than an
assignment, it’s a calling. Truly, a vocation.
Like St. John at the foot of the cross, you now
have the opportunity to answer yes to God’s
invitation to care for one of his beloved sons or
daughters.
Our faith tells us, and our loving God assures
us, you’re not alone in this often challenging and
overwhelming – and at times even frightening –
mission. The One who asked you remains with you, day
and night.
More than merely by your side, he alone can be
in your mind, your heart and your soul, ready to
offer you comfort, support and strength to handle
the daily challenges of caregiving. All you need to
do is ask.
But amid the hectic day-in and day-out tasks of
caring for a loved one, sometimes it takes effort,
it takes a conscious and deliberate decision, to
stop – if only for a moment – and become more aware
of the presence of God.
To better see how he never abandons you. How –
no matter what time it is, no matter where you are,
no matter the circumstances – he is there.
The love you offer to your aging parent,
spouse, family member or friend is always
accompanied by God’s infinite love for that person .
. . and for you.
You can find a link to the entire Topic
here.
- - -
Again this week we cordially
invite you to join
the Friends of St. John
the Caregiver! (FSJC's programs include
YourAgingParent.com and
CatholicCaregivers.com.) You can find out more about
becoming a member
here.
No meetings, no dues. All we ask is that
you pray for caregivers and those receiving care. Our members include
caregivers, care-receivers, and those who support both
(including quite a few former caregivers).
You can:
sign up on-line here
or call us toll-free at
1-800-392-JOHN (5646)
or
print and mail an application form.
God
bless you!
Bill
To
contact us
To
join
FSJC
To make a
donation
To view or make
prayer
requests
Materials
order form
Past
"Dear Friends"
letters
"Among Friends" quarterly newsletter
