We had Christmas at the nursing home on Sunday. Rather than enjoying an evening in the warmth of one of my aunt's and uncle's homes, we celebrated the gift of Jesus in a cold community room, so that Grandpa could be there. Alzheimer's continues to grip him in a downward spiral that seems to have sped up since he entered the home last spring. When Grandma wheeled him in to our gathering, I almost cried to see my Grandpa who could at onetime fix anything now not even able to stay alert long enough to say hello.
But Grandma has eyes of love as she makes daily sacrifices to care for Grandpa. She isn't in denial of Grandpa's condition, and his inability to always recognize her as his wife doesn't stop her from visiting him everyday. Although the home pays no attention to the fat content of its meals, causing her to gain weight, she eats a meal or two a day in the common room with Grandpa.
We recently watched a movie, Away From Her, about a woman (Fiona) with Alzheimer's who shortly after being moved into a nursing home no longer recognizes her husband (Grant) and falls in love with another patient. Like Grandma, Grant never stops visiting his wife and is soon relegated to watching Fiona from across the room as she cares for her new beau. He sacrificially visits everyday and eventually takes action to bring Fiona happiness even at sacrifice to himself.
Grandpa and Fiona are no longer able to respond to these sacrificial gifts, but they daily receive the love being directed to them. They seemingly don't deserve it but that doesn't stop Grandma and Grant from giving.
Anyone's name could be exchanged with Harvey and Fiona when it comes to the gift we have received from God. We did nothing to deserve, and often barely acknowledge, the love we've been given through the gift of Jesus and his death on the cross. He sacrificially gave of Himself to be born on earth with the purpose of paying the debt of all of our mess-ups and injustices.
This Christmas I hope to better understand the sacrificial love of God, which sent the greatest gift of love to this hurting world - the baby Jesus.
2 comments:
Angie, We were supposed to do the same today at my grandparents' retirement home but canceled because we're all snowed in. My grandpa is rapidly failing as well with heart problems and dementia. He remembers us all but forgets simple things. It's been very hard on my Grandma, who lives in the same home but on a different floor now that he has to have more care. They miss each other so much and are both suffering from depression on top of everything else. We'll celebrate with them as soon as the roads are clear enough, probably later in the week. Each day with him still around is a gift. I too remember when he used to climb ladders up on the roof to fix anything and everything. It's hard to see him failing now, but I treasure this time. Love, Beth
"Faith, hope, and love abide, and the greatest of these is love . . . "
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