Making lemonade out of lemons

by Tina Y. Gerber

It has been a trying time as we began the journey to move. It can be especially difficult with medical concerns, and as you age, things don't always go as smoothly as hoped for.

What's awesome is, we sold our home within a week! The market has been slow and very unpredictable, over the last few years. Yet, if you are open, you can see, God always has something for you. It may be a key for solving problems, a light for when you feel the darkness creep in or a perception of the power of His word as one reads it which is the best instructional book you will ever need.

I did ask friends to help me pack and organize for moving. I will no longer ask someone more than twice for help. However, only my daughters, my Supported Independent Living (SIL) person and sister showed up! However, I also have a wonderful helper who I pay once a week. She is a very hard worker and has lots of muscle power.

I have always been the so-called friend who meets for coffee dates, does the travelling to visit. Yet, this made me reflect on the saying, “People's love will grow cold.” It seemed, the enemy thought he put us through overwhelming difficulties, as someone had damaged our kitchen windows, broken our mailbox, and then the summer storm arrived. To add insult to injury, I fell and did a face plant in my new driveway and was covered in mud but no broken bones. On the humorous side, my hubby says, I got the gift of a free facial.

We were at the corner of providence and perseverance as we were settling into our new home. God provided us shelter from the storm. Even though the power was out at our new home, for over a week, our SIL, Travis, did install a generator. We slept comfortable in our former house, as it was only two concessions away and it had full power, plus it had a working air conditioner. We had a picnic on the floor, while overcoming the humid weather. I never expected to appreciate a hardwood floor so much. We snuggled on blankets and big, fluffy pillows. This reminded us, there are so many who lay their heads on the pavement every night, with no relief. It provided perspective about those who are homeless, who succumb to living this lifestyle, for whatever reason. With all of this we were reminded, Jesus calms the sea and we celebrated in his strength.

In addition, we both faced challenges with no power. This meant, I could not use my CPAP, and hubby faces COPD, ASTHMA, CHF, and other health issues. At the same time the forest fires were affecting the air quality for young and old. Being a senior, while dealing with such conditions, can be a life-threatening situation. We made the best out of a difficult time and feel so blessed and thankful we had two homes, even if it was temporary. We had no complaints, and God deserves all the glory. This was a silver lining in a storm. We trust in the amour of God.