Money, Tears, Caregiving, and a Financial Planner

Christmas gift why not want chicken have a couple of chicken maybe it's not the perfect gift for your family, but it gives the perfect gift for poor family ninja chicken can break the cycle of poverty for poor family yes chicken chickens and provide food and nourishment for family and they can sell mosaics of the market for income when you donate a chicken or any other gospel for Asia. 100% of what you give goes to the field and get the ball went gospel fundraiser to support family. Jesus family this Christmas and give them six explanation see chickens and other animals campaign on American family radio, this is Rosenberg this is the nation's number one show for as a family care. How are you feeling how are you doing how are you holding up what's going on with you. There's the question we ask nor see the film visible show 80 589-8840 880-589-8840 if you want to be part of the show. We loved on also want to welcome a.m. to 10 W PMH I want to welcome this is up in Virginia when working 96.9 Suffolk, Virginia 104 one Norfolk Virginia beach in the Hampton area but you got three new affiliates that are on the show and we really do appreciate all of our affiliates. We have over 200 stations that are carrying the show right now and as I was telling the produce of the show here, right before we went on record now were talking that that the world seems to have co-opted virtually every social topic out there. It is offering the what the world offers to that which in my case is not a whole lot in the church for whatever reason, we seem to have advocated or just plain defense on some these things but not this issue when it comes to addressing the hard issues of the family caregiver believers are way out in front of this through the show and I appreciate American family radio, the Truth Network and all these other affiliates that are carrying the show because they see the need that so many people are facing struggling with taking care of somebody who's chronically impaired.

Whether it's a child with special needs, whether it is a a aging parent. Whether it's somebody who is like in my case deals with trauma related issues. Whether somebody with mental illness with her somebody with addiction whether somebody with all kinds of different diseases or impairments. Whatever doesn't matter so many different Impairments. There's always a caregiver in the caregiver is at risk. Individual and so what we talk about on this show is the the often train wreck that to the caregiver's heart how you help someone who helps somebody what's going on with that person. Is it just about Sandwell.

Make sure that you get a good nights rest and in eat well and try to exercise those are all important things but is that really where the battle is, is that really where you know the caregiver's heart is late at night when there having a conversation with the ceiling fan and so we understand that here on the show and so that's what we address because if the heart is a squirrel cage. Guess was Clement to the wallet to the body to the relationships to everything else that's going on that caregiver spark spiritually, physically, emotionally, financially, all of it is tied to the matter after the condition of the heart. So we speak directly to that in a way that caregivers can understand. We speak fluent caregiver here on the show. I've learned over time in my 35th year. Now is a character and I've learned to speak fluent caregiver. But here's the better news.

It's our Savior's native tongue is that's who he is and he puts himself between us and even worse disaster definitively did it on the cross and then every day. That's manifested out into so many different areas of our life is he's working through these things that brings me to my Scripture today.

Let's start off of the Scripture Genesis 5020. If you're driving.

Don't turned to this page.

Okay's chest was alone. Genesis 5020 effort, often about the book of Genesis and you pastors and theologians out there can correct me if you are if if if I get this wrong but I've heard that media describe Genesis as come.

The index for the entire Bible. If it's in Scripture it's in Genesis and and and I've as I've read through Genesis many many times I found that to be quite accurate when you can just see it's all it's it it it just it's like if it really is is collect the index for the entire Scripture of what is getting ready to be unpacked from Exodus to Revelation. And so anyway this is this is just as 5020. This is a familiar scene to most of us in this is Joseph. You know after his father died. He'd already reconciled with his brothers.

They come to live in Egypt and you know everybody was kind of having a you living their life and so forth that his father died and his brothers remembered again. There there's great sin against Joseph and they had betrayed him.

The bottom of the pit sold about the slavers and told their father that Joseph had been killed and that also. Joe survives up in Egypt and he becomes the, the head of the oven, second only to Pharaoh and and saves not only the Egyptians but his own family and it if you have a date then the father died. Jacob came to Egypt with them and in the father died and also they think it will. Dad's dead now just as good of you that is. Joseph from going after us and take us apart. It's a pretty scared and here's what Joseph said to ask for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good. In order to bring about this present result to preserve many people alive that takes an enormous amount of trust and faith in the sovereignty of God to make a statement like that asked for you, you meant evil against me with God meant it for good.

Now when is another example of that manifested in script with a lot of places, but ultimately this one when Jesus is standing before Pilate and in Jesus would answer any of the charges and palaces. No, don't you know that I have the power to kill you to take your life and Jesus said you wouldn't have any power over me were not given to you by my father again that unswerving confidence and faith in the sovereignty and provision of God that is applied as a secure well. We look at our situations as caregivers and we think that this is so out of control.

This is so messy.

This is so just distraught.

We were so distraught of this. This is so distressing that I have on the world could God be in this thing.

How in the world we make sense of this and and I think the we we are so frantic and driven to make sense of some of these things versus except this is where we are that we will wrap ourselves into pretzels ever done that. If you ever just just get yourself so torqued up trying to make sense of this is that other people if we don't do it. Other people will do it for us. We talked about this last week when we get your own people come up and they say well here's why this is happening, you know, there must be some sin in your life that you do this, a God would do this to you or no remember that the disciples came up with the guy that was born blind in his disciples Jesus disciples said to them that you know Jesus in the scanners parents you look for something. I was born blind so that that's a little bit cold to see you know this baby sin was born blind this this is the way we think we we somehow try to wrap her mind around what we think we can understand in sometimes just a matter of accepting it is what it is. It is what it is we heard the president talk about that when an interview with the Cove in 19 and Jeff actually is. Ask questions that will carry civil it is what it is the so-called meso.

You know, how can you be so unfeeling Michelle Obama just wailed on them in her speech of the DNC is what is becomes very clear what I will back break would be a part of that 888-589-8888 I think that tripling five 890 this is Rosenberger this is the nation's number one show for you as a family set up your horse about accepting Saturday show I settle Southwest Montana Rockies and the new trail run the Churchill used to say there's something about the outside of the horses good for the inside of a man.

The guy concur with that wholeheartedly 888-589-8840 888-589-8840.

It is what it is we've heard that statement. A lot of the last couple weeks, particularly after the president said this in the root really interviewee responded to Jonathan after you get statement from actio's and asked the question but the Kobe 19 Dennis and everybody just like how he so coldly so unfeeling I personally have a different take on that phrase that phrase have been using for some time as I had to look at the devastation in our life. Multiple levels of things and accept certain reality so that we can move forward and and I I look at these folks are deal with this in the Louisiana Gov. Gifford Munson pastor down there retired Army chaplain and minister in an he was texting me that there trap. To me they had let them that they're out now but when this lady without survey the damage and they could even get out out of their home.

They had no power or anything else.

He said Louisiana's little hot in August to be camping out the low intensity was bivouacked with Army and so but there make the best of it in and be okay in and with the event no good bit of damage and so if you can get involved with organizations that are bringing relief density Louisiana area. Please do but it's you know when people come out of a after following a hurricane storm tornado things such as that there's an assessment of what's going on. It is what it is and and I watched the implicit the political foes I can sleep the politicalization of this phrase at the president said being just sprayed all over the media, and I looked at that it is just a bunch of emotion and feeling in and all I can stuff it in with the first lady former first lady got up in her speech at the DNC and and just, castigated the present for that event. She said we need to be requiring empathy as like how you requiring empathy, you must feel this way about me. You know how you do that and I really thought about this all this touchy-feely stuff that goes on but those of us who've lived with long-term crises and pain and challenges and suffering of all these kind of things we understand that there is a point where you accept reality for what it is this mean you you wallow in it. That doesn't mean that you are somehow resigned or defeatist or fatalistic. In it, but you accept it for what it is.

In order to have that as a launching point to go forward. I go back to Scripture in Genesis 5020. As for you Joseph said to his brother, you meant evil against it is what it is this what you did what I have were negative dance around this, but God meant it for good. In order to bring about this present result to preserve many people live so there's that pivot of accepting what is, and pivoting to what has now become and where were going that they got as a plant heat. He wasn't an end. Joseph was was wise enough to understand that God was just interested in saving a family was interested in building a nation which then he would ultimately bring forth you know the greater Joseph which is Christ. Joseph is a picture of Christ and in Genesis there a lot of those things in Scripture where you have this foreshadowing of really who Jesus is and and and so when we are willing to accept that it is what it is that we don't have to flounder about wondering is God aware of this because he is, that doesn't mean we like it doesn't mean it's it's pretty and and feels good and all that Stuff, but we don't have to be bound by that and I think so many of us are because there's this is constant need to to come to grips with her pain and I looked at four different presidents of the in recent history of how the respondent to things and I looked at Bill Clinton when he was running for office and or revision for a referral for me after you get off at whatever the member the phrase he said to the one case of failure pay you know of its that's almost become a punchline. I feel your pain what so what first off number one nobody else can feel your pain. Other people can try to identify with your pain as best as possible. They can respect your pain. They can see your pain.

They can appreciate your pain they could ignore your pain, but they can't feel your pain at your pain and so I put in the context of my wife Elizabeth pain everyday and has since Reagan's first term and people because of what I feel your pain. I had to get no kidding. I got come up to me one time a church. This'll don't tell anybody about this but but he came up to me this is some years ago and in he was sincere, but he said I heard about art about your wife story you know why story and you know how differently I really get what you do I get it. We were there with what we shared that we understand exactly what you're going through and I thought while I didn't know anybody in our entire state had that kind of framework agree. She said 80 service both of her legs were amputated. 100 doctors of trader in 12 different hospitals that we did. This is a massive medical journey this thing going on since 83 is this guy because I know exactly what you're going through that failure pay and lasted well and I had no idea he said yeah my wife broke her ankle last month and I just looked at the sky with the level of incredulity and and I was almost afraid to get close to because I know with what he had was contagious, because that's a level of cluelessness that is beyond the pale.

So I said what every good Southerner would say that situation. Bless your heart.

Bless your heart. We keep we sinners can get out of pretty much any situation. Any uncomfortable situation to her topic was just bless your heart, and it so I side I just I exited from that particular conversation and chalk that up to a teaching moment for myself to just give people like that a wide berth because they have no clue what easily comes after your pain that you don't be wary of those kinds of people coming in and in reality that that whole phrase has become a punchline that it is presumptuous and it's it's it's self-serving. And no, I can't feel your pain. I can't tell you how to take care your lovely morning to tell me how to take care of my I can do that but I can acknowledge your pain.

I can respect your pain and I can you note give you the, the, the, the appreciation for what you're going through that you deserve that the magnitude of what you carry is is extraordinary, but words mean something particular with near the present United States and sometimes and I go back to what you know Michelle Obama said we got a require empathy. Well that's it that's to be a tough sell.

You know that I don't know that I can require empathy from anybody. I want to make you feel me that's a little bit presumptuous.

I thought I don't know what you think but you I think we can certainly foster it. We can certainly ask for it.

Hopefully we can encourage people to think like this. But ultimately, empathy is is something that's going to have to be generated from within someone else. You cannot externally force somebody to feel anything for you, you know that's that's that's a reflection of their character but but then there are times when we model this and I and I and I remember George W Bush when he was on that mountain of rubble following 9/11, and he was speaking in and somebody yelled out, you know, we can't hear you, and he had that bullhorn regret he said well they grab the bullhorn and he said I hear you.

The world hears you, and pursue the people that live in this building. And the guy that he had his arm around his older man. He was a retired firefighter got to meet him in the agreement.

Downstairs at the Republican national convention 2004 Grayson hour on the platform with the president when he gave his acceptance speech.

She had performed earlier that week and opened up the second night that event in 2004, and they invited us to be on the platform hunting so we go back and look at some of the old footage back there and you see the present.

Over his left shoulder with addresses given his address.

You see, Gracie, and people had of it. She was wearing tennis shoes because it was there were a lot of wires and cables and so forth. And then moving around and so she want to be unsteady, but we could go back down once we get seated on the platform we could go but got to get her dress shoes which were downstairs and so that was a was a little bit weird so she sit there with her prosthetic leg to dinner. She's right by the president. So Amir my dad salsa the Newsweek or something suspicious. He said I is like next week left of the present but you know I I bet that older man that stood by the president when he yelled that out and here's here's a side were empathy came from someone he said I hear you. The world hears you pretty soon to take that empathy that were hearing and with a feeling what's going on, it wouldn't take that one can turn it into action, and in that empathy was galvanized that led us into know a couple of long long long battlefields in Afghanistan and Iraq everywhere. Another time when another president when Treva Martin was killed in the present commence it if I have studied the click Treva inserted himself into the story and I'm sure that that people felt that was particularly with present supporters that you know that was identifying with this in an that was meaningful to supporters but but the nation needed no we didn't need somebody to insert themselves in the story we needed to move the nation to a different place and he did the same thing with Ferguson with Baltimore and now were in these other situations and then Prof. Gates was arrested and we need more than just feelings and and yeah empathy's good hand and sympathies and it has a place you know those things. Have a great place and if you don't do a whole lot so we have to do something different approach of approaching this thing to talk about this more. The next thing we did 589-8840 888589 €88 murder that is more sifting is sovereign over all the things all of her injuries. All of body issues and she still listens her 1983 correct. Both legs amputated 80 surgeries is quite a journey and to be able to make the income statement as speaker of the empty to let you know we put prosthetic limbs on her fellow amputees and we been doing this now since 2005 over the West African country of Ghana at a young man.

This week we sponsor leg for them. Name closely. We been working with him since 2007 I think it was we first met him some 13 years and amputees will go through a lot of prostheses gracious left many many legs yourself and we recycle prosthetic leg settle if you knew that another she I just mailed some stuff of hers over to a prison and in Arizona that were inmates will be receiving these items and limbs that come from all of the country and they dissipate disassemble the lake you can you can you usually use the foot, the knee the pylon the screws. The adapters and connectors all those kinds of things can be recycled in Gracie's recycle many of her legs and will sit all that over there to Africa where they will build a custom fit socket that is for the patient that we just purchased some resin this week gallons of resin and in each gallon can make no up to I think six lakes and and so that that is the socket that fits on that patient. That's custom fit for them. But then we can reuse or recycle pilot a connector adapter, but whatever. In that work but be a part of this sponsor leg with his help sponsor the show whatever's on your heart to do good hope for the caregiver.com you see a thing. This is donate and this is the hope the caregivers the family caregiver outreach standing with. We have two programmers stayed with the units for the wounded amputees we serve and those who care for them.

That's caregivers for the wounded and those who care for and you can be a part of that and help us expand the scope of the show if you like what you hear on the show if you like what we're offering that help us do more to help us put another leg up so they help us in some resin all kinds of things that were doing. You could be a part of and for whatever's on your heart to do that with the tax-deductible gift will send you copy Gracie CD about that and you love the city. She is a she is a no kidding singer and immigrate to have your own radio show that you could have your wife to go over music with a slightly hearsay