This saying goodbye to the way things were… I do not like it… no, not one bit.

I’ve been doing it this past year in my own life.  It’s not easy.  It’s painful.  It requires learning and acceptance and humility.  And I keep asking God, “aren’t I too old for all this new stuff?”

Apparently not.

Now my parents say goodbye to their home… it goes on the market this week.  They used to walk across the street and up three houses to church… where friends gather and activities happen… no more.  They say goodbye to independence… Dad’s not supposed to drive… and he’s none to happy about that.

I rented a motel room in order to visit them… and that just felt.  plain.  weird.

But they are safe and comfortable.  Their apartment looks like a miniature version of where they’ve always lived.  And the same two sweet people are inside.

Mom has already made friends, found the craft room, ridden the bus to the mall and dresses up every evening for dinner in the “fancy” dining room.

She’s spunky that way.

Dad isn’t.  She’s worried for him… he wanted things to stay the way they were.

But how can they?  How… when… do you start planning for the day you can’t drive anymore… or climb the ladder to repair the roof… or see well enough to read the ingredients… or get confused on the days and which pill to take when?

Some people think about such things… some people don’t.

Sunday afternoon I took Mom to the store.  She has a right to feel a little overwhelmed, maybe even a little sad… but instead I hear “God is so good”. 

From the moving, to financial arrangements, to the getting rid of “stuff”… “it’s all gone so smooth… He always takes care of us… I know Dad will be ok”.

God is good.

I hope I will remember that… remember to trust Him for wisdom, remember to keep the ears of my heart open to His instruction, and remember to gracefully step back when the time comes… when things can’t stay the way they always were.

Linked with The Nester and the 31 Dayers