We are strong

There is really strength in our natures. Deep down in us somewhere resides a tremendous resource for endurance and survival. At first glance its not apparent. We whine and moan and groan at the least discomfort. Its too hot, its too cold, Im tired, Im bored. Sounds like a kid but if were honest we still do it at fifty. But we make it thru all those things. We get to the end. We all have survived some real hardships and tragedies.

Where is this coming from you ask. My Uncle John is amazing. He had a stroke about 12 years ago. He was paralyzed on his right side. His wife helped him thru the first 5 years. She helped him dress and bathe and those kind of things. She drove for him most of the time. She kept house and fixed meals and tended to the dogs. She read to him and paid the bills and I guess did about most things you can imagine needing to be done for the necessities of living. But she died. She had a heart attack and was suddenly gone and he didn't have anyone to do those things for him anymore. I thought he would just have to go into a home at that time so he could be cared for. I wasn't surprised when he wanted to try it by himself but I don't think I expected him to be able to make it. Well he did make it. He has lived by himself for several years. He has done all those things above for himself. I never gave it much thought as I made token visits to his house. He would have clothes on. He provided his own meals. His home was not a wreck. His yard was watered and kept up. His dogs were fat and happy. Sometimes he would be somewhere he had driven himself to, gotten his wheelchair out of the car and gotten himself into it. I never gave those things much thought until recently. I went to his house one evening when I saw his garage lite on. I walked into the house and he was in his wheel chair in the living room. He said he had been unloading his car for awhile and was resting. He had been to Amarillo and brought back a load of groceries. He had been working for about an hour to get about half the stuff in and put up. I finished it up for him and it took me no more than 3 minutes. I since have watched him do a number of things. It takes him a long time to dress and undress. He uses his teeth to pull off his shirt sleeves. He has to kind of shrug off clothes a few inches at a time. It is a major thing to comb his hair and shave. Im amazed at his patience and perseverance. I have never really herd him complain. He will fuss a little but not really complain.

He has had a set back recently. He had another lite stroke and cant get up and down by himself now. He is in an old folkes home now. He things he will get out but I don't know. Yall pray for him.

That whining and moaning is our weak nature. Unable to do anything for ourselves. The deep strength was put there by our Creator and Sovereign God. He fuels those inner fires that heats the boilers of resolve and effort required to follow the plan He laid out for our lives before the foundations of the world.