Awake

In Dependence

I live with my 87- (next month 88) year-old grandpa. I live with him because it is free and I could not afford to live on my own while I transplanted my life and got my business(es) off the ground. I agreed to live with him (and ultimately move down here) because my grandpa is (or should I say, "was") very independent and able to take care of his own needs.

Enter Summer.

Ah, Southern Oregon Summers. A delightful thing. I really do love the weather down here. I actually have a tan of sorts. (For you folks up north, a "tan" is the darkening of your skin that occurs when your skin is exposed to the rays of the "sun".)

At 3355, we water the lawn via an irrigation pump. This pump hadn't been fired up since last summer and the first time that Grandpa ventured into the garage to bring out the hoses for the pump—about 3 weeks ago—the weed eater attacked his arm and tore 85% of his paper-thin skin off the extensor side of his forearm. Luckily, he didn't require a skin graft.

Forearm on the mend, Grandpa went to work on the pump again this past weekend. First he lifted something and heard a "pop" in his low back. Then, a while later, he sat down hard on the ground and I think his hip and low back muscles protectively spasmed as a result. The next morning he sat on the edge of his bed waiting for me to get up and asked me to bring in the walker. The morning after that, he asked for the wheelchair.

3355 is a small house with narrow hallways and tight corners. So he can't get everywhere in the house in the wheelchair. So now I'm fetching toothbrushes and razors and filling basins and making ice packs and and emptying things I did not want to be emptying.

Today, a work day, was not a day to produce any work. Instead it was a day of fetching and emptying and wheeling and driving and doctor's appointment-ing. (And blogging.)

I struggle with this new role—a role that I do not wish to adopt and I struggle with the implications of Grandpa's slow-down and wonder how to ride this transitional wave with as much grace and compassion as I can without forfeiting my own life in the process. I have spent a year building two businesses and am ready to continue on this path. But will this bump in the road derail me? And what will it mean for Grandpa as well?

Happy Birthday to The Dadoo!

And now, a birthday haiku for The Dadoo:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hub of all-terrain
Life wheel, disposition
for truth, love, right.

Wind carries line to
Water. Great catch emerges.
Sun heats soul's longing.

Husband, Dadoo, Grand—
Tells truth, loyalty follows
—Father, Captain, My Captain

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thus endeth the birthday haiku for The Dadoo

June 2008 Prayer Events in Portland

From Reneé Boucher, of LivingStonesPDX (aka Portland International House of Prayer aka Downtown House of Prayer):

There are a lot of things happening in June prayer-wise across the city. Here are a few you may be interested in:

June 14th

Compassion SE

www.compassionse.org

a one-day free medical/dental clinic and social services fair.

at Woodmere Elementary school on SE Duke and 79th.

—the need is for people to take one hour shifts between 9am and 4pm to pray for individuals who may request prayer. 2-4 people per shift.

contact Renee (username: boucher.renee
domain: gmail.com) before THURSDAY of this week (June 5th) to sign up.

PRAYER AT THE WELL

Prayer for the Church and for the Portland Region

7-9pm

www.thewellchurch.com

1734 NE 1st Ave

Portland, OR 97212

June 21

Bound4LIFE

"Bound4LIFE is a grassroots prayer mobilization movement targeting the ending of abortion, the increase of adoptions and the reformation of government and society through spiritual awakening. It is made up of intercessors who stand with "Life" tape over their mouths at courthouses and abortion clinics across the nation. This "Silent Siege" is not a protest. It is a silent prayer meeting."

Please join Beaverton Bound4LIFE the third Saturday of every month, from 10:00a.m. to 12:00, starting June 21, as we hold a Silent Siege outside the Beaverton Planned Parenthood office, 12220 SW 1st., in downtown Beaverton.

We will also be holding a prayer meeting the third Thursday of every month at Song of Hope Church, 5656 SW Humphrey Blvd. from 8:00-9:30a.m. for the ending of abortion in our city.

Contact email: username: bvtnbound4life
domain: yahoo.com

June 22-28

SEVEN

www.awakethecity.org

Seven days of fasting and prayer for revival in our city

Join together on Saturday morning, June 28th as churches from across the city gather at Council Crest to pray (I believe it begins at 9am....)

Thanks Reneé.

Check out the LivingStonesPDX blog for ongoing information regarding prayer in Portland.