Working on my Bible study this morning, I was thoroughly enjoying learning more about the very beginnings of John the Baptist and Jesus. I am currently working through Beth Moore’s Bible study book, Jesus – The One and Only. I really appreciate and enjoy her ministry of Bible teaching. Both in listening to her and reading what she’s written, I have learned so much. She always digs down and discovers the most interesting little details I would never think of. And they always interest and intrigue me!

Even more, I appreciate how God can take passages I’ve read dozens, if not hundreds, of times, and make them fresh and new to me each time I read them. Today He did that several times and it was so encouraging!

Today I enjoyed reading passages from 1 Samuel 1, where I read Hannah’s prayer of praise. Some of the verses that especially touched this caregiver’s heart included:

My heart exults in the Lord.

I rejoice in Your salvation.

There is no one holy like the Lord. Indeed, there is no one besides You. Nor is there any rock like our God.

The Lord is a God of knowledge and with Him actions are weighed.

The feeble gird on strength!

Not by might shall a man prevail.

As a Sandwich Generation senior home care giver and grandma, those last two were especially nourishing to my spirit. Too often I try to do everything myself. Then God has to remind me that I am trying to take over HIS job. I don’t know about you, but I often feel pretty feeble. How encouraging to know that our God, our ROCK, will gird us with His strength.

I hope this will encourage you as it did me. I pray that your week will be blessed by God, by His hope, by His strength, and by His power. And to help in that, I wanted to share this lovely video from Beth Moore’s Living Proof Blog. Enjoy

Living Proof Live – Springfield IL from Rich Kalonick on Vimeo.

One of my goals for SandwichINK is to provide encouragement for all you wonderful Sandwich Generation Senior Home Care Givers and Grandparents, as well as myself. When I spotted the Word-Filled Wednesday meme, I thought, “What an encouragement for all of us.” After spending the last few evenings reading the various sites’ entries, I have to say, “WHAT A BLESSED ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALL OF US!”

Each night I would spend a few minutes enjoying the various photos and reading the verses and devotionals and God would lift my spirits, give rest to my soul, and a couple of times He even used them to point out some weak areas that needed fine-tuning. My favorite was the adorable picture of the ostrich with the Bible verse Ephesians 4:29:

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

or as the Good News Translation puts it,

Do not use harmful words, but only helpful words, the kind that build up and provide what is needed, so that what you say will do good to those who hear you.

I’m using it to remind me to speak helpful words to others, even when life is throwing me one frustration headache after another!!!

I’m going to print out my favorites each Wednesday to make some Words of Encouragement booklets using these wonderful inspirational Bible verses for my grandkids and I to enjoy reading together.

What a great way to put into practice Deut. 6:7:

“You shall teach [God’s Words"] diligently to your [grandkids] and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.”

What were your favorite photos and Bible verses? We’d love to hear. Also, be sure to sign up for the SandwichINK free email for more info, grandkid craft ideas, and encouragement!

Cold and flu season was in full swing. After a particularly difficult and exhausting week of senior home care giving and grandparenting, I was sitting in church listening to the pastor read a passage from the Bible, Matthew 14:22-33.

He told of the time after Jesus miraculously fed a multitude of people. He had sent the crowds away, sent his disciples off on a boat, and gone off on His own to pray. Later that night, the disciples were still on the boat, when it was caught in a major storm, with the waves pounding against it. All of a sudden they saw Jesus coming towards them on the water and they were terrified, thinking He was a ghost.

…they cried out in fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid.”
Peter said to Him, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.” And He said, “Come!” And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” Matthew 14:26b-33

Did you notice something in that passage? Jesus immediately spoke words of comfort to them when they were in the midst of being buffeted by the waves, and He immediately reached out to grab Peter when he became afraid and started to sink in the water. BUT the storm kept going on! It did stop when He got on the boat, but not sooner.

God is ALWAYS with us in the middle of our trials, whether they be from caregiving or from other situations we may be dealing with. He is always ready to speak words of comfort and encouragement to us through His Word, through hymns and praise songs, and through sermons. But the trials do NOT always stop immediately. Sometimes they go on for a few minutes or hours, like here. Sometimes they go on for days, as happened for Lazarus’ sisters when he died. And sometimes, as Paul discovered, trials, such as prison, beatings, illness, and thorns in the flesh can go on for months or even years!

It’s vital for us to cling tight to Him no matter how long our trials endure, trusting Him and praising Him. As Paul tells us in Philippians 4:

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I pray that you will each be blessed this week with the comfort of His presence and the encouragement of His Word as you go about your Sandwich Generation senior home care giving and grandparenting!