God's Perfect Timing
Oct 20, 2024 | by The Fellowship
Timing is everything, right? The stars are lined up … or you catch a great break … maybe you are just lucky in life. But as a Christian, you know what may seem like luck is actually God’s grace and His perfect timing. I have had several instances in recent years that fill me with awe of God’s hand directing the path.
After my mother’s bout with breast cancer, I encouraged my parents to move back into this area. It would be much easier for me to assist them if they were 30 minutes away rather than three hours. Their advanced age caused some to discourage me from having them build a house, but I also knew it would help make the transition easier, particularly since my mother had some dementia issues. I remember saying, “If I have to sell the home in a couple of years, so be it.” They had previously lived in the Richmond area, and my mother still had four sisters in that area. So, they returned to Richmond.
Fast forward two years … my father had a stroke which resulted in my parents moving into a local assisted-living facility. Their home sold a few months later. Not exactly what we would have liked, but it was God’s Perfect Timing.
Due to their close proximity, I saw my parents almost daily. It was not an easy transition with my mother’s dementia issues – and she was unable to comprehend the physical state that was now my father’s reality. He could not walk without using a walker and needed assistance with other tasks.
About a year later, my mother had a fall. She was diagnosed with a brain tumor and given only two-three months to live. This will sound odd, but I found her dementia to be a blessing under these circumstances. She absolutely detested all types of medical care. Because she had no clue about the brain tumor, it was much easier to care for and love her through this end stage of her life.
Although the doctors gave her only a few months, my mother was not yet ready to depart this earth. My husband and I had an anniversary coming up, and he had spent months planning a two-week international trip to celebrate. As our departure date approached, we were conflicted! Mother’s condition was deteriorating, but she was lingering. My father and the hospice staff highly encouraged us to leave on our trip as planned.
I lined up several friends and family members to check in frequently with my parents and packed my bags. Several hours before our early flight, I received the call from hospice that my mother had passed. This gave us time to love on and care for my father before we departed. To this day, I consider the timing a gift from God and my mom. We could enjoy our trip without worrying about her. It was all God’s Perfect Timing.
My father continued to live in a local facility for several years. With each passing year, the costs increased. Earlier this year, his retirement residence imposed a large increase – and yet the quality of his actual day-to-day care was decreasing. There was no way that he was getting what we were paying for. I had to resort to taking photos and submitting them to the director. No matter how constantly I questioned the staff, the care remained unacceptable.
In late May, my father’s needs were reevaluated – and it was decided that even more care was necessary – for an extra $1,100 a month. That was the final straw! I hated to move him since he had lived there for eight years; however, I had no confidence that the care would improve with the increase. And honestly, the costs were draining his bank account!
After discussing our needs with an assisted-living locator service, we found the perfect place! The price was great … and the staff was warm and inviting. The marketing director, who helped calm my anxiety about moving him, had been my student when I was a high school teacher. The executive director remembered my father as she had been on staff at his previous facility years ago. This was going to be a wonderful place for my dad. The price, the location, the staff -- it was all God’s Perfect Timing.
Just before the transition, my father contracted a horrible UTI. After a week in the hospital with strong antibiotics, he moved into his new facility under hospice care. I visited daily; sometimes he would open his eyes and be semi-alert, and sometimes not. I hoped for physical improvement but prayed for God’s will to be done. Unfortunately, he never got to enjoy his new place. Two weeks later, he was called home to be with Jesus.
The last two months have been a bit of a roller coaster for me … having a memorial service, handling financial affairs, coming to grips with being the last family member. Some days, it feels overwhelming … but I know that He is always in control and will carry me through the difficult times. It is always in God’s Perfect Timing.
My times are in your hands …
Psalm 31:16