Well Bless His Little Heart

Jesus, bless them, please.

Today Mom asked, as she always does, “Where’s Raymon?”

And I answered, as I often do, “He’s out getting you food.”

But then her answer surprised me.  She smiled and looked pleased and said, “Well, bless his little heart.” I chuckled at the comment, but now I embrace it as a prayer…

As I was cleaning at their house today, I continued to overhear Mom ask, “Where’s Raymon?”…even though he was just a few feet away.

And I continued to overhear Dad patiently reply, “I’m right here.” Over.  And.  Over.  Again.

And I had to think, bless his heart for his patience.

Later, Dad and I were in his office, and I was going through his mail with him and making appointments.  Almost the whole time we could hear Mom hollering from the other room, where she sat by herself, “Don’t do that to me!  Stop it! “….interspersed with very loud nonsensical noises. It made me a cringe a little and feel stressed out.

And I thought, I’m only here for a few hours at a time.  Dad lives with this behavior 24/7. This has to wear on his nerves.  Bless his heart.

As I did some more cleaning, Dad admitted he was feeling shaky. He has diabetes and has to watch his blood sugar. He sat back in his chair and I brought him a banana and some milk.  And I thought, “Oh God, please take care of him.  And bless his heart.”

When we sat and talked he told me how he has to be so careful now where he puts things, because Mom is curious and likes to pick up things and then puts them in strange places.  He had recently bought some plumbing parts and was missing a pipe.  He looked for it for days.  (And when I say looked, I speak metaphorically because he is basically blind.)

He finally found it in Mom’s bedside wastebasket. He told me he goes regularly through her wastebasket by hand, piece by piece, because she’s always throwing out something.

Oh Lord, please bless my Daddy’s heart.  Bless him big time!

While I was there today, I also saw a picture I hadn’t noticed before, stuck in the china hutch.  A picture of my daddy, when he was a teenager.  I remembered he had told me about the day he was in the town parade, riding his bike with his beloved dog.. He got second place.

And the photo reminded me of his childhood stories and of the younger healthier daddy he was to me…when everything was bright and cheerful and life was so much easier for him.

And yet somehow, with God’s grace and strength, he carries on with so much love and patience.  And he calls me every day and cheerfully asks me how I’m doing. And I am so blessed by him.

And I pray now, I pray with tears, that God will bless Dad’s heart beyond measure and abundantly.  And I pray that for all you amazing caregivers out there, too.

God bless your heart.

And for all of you who have already lost a parent you were caring for, and are grieving, may God give you comfort and peace, and bless your hearts.

Yes, Lord Jesus, please bless hearts today.