Raleigh, NC

Yesterday my wife and I ventured southeast to Raleigh, the capital city of North Carolina. Our trip was not strictly for sightseeing but to meet with a lawyer so that I could obtain legal guardianship over my wife in order to conduct business in her name.  It is actually something I should have done years before, but to be honest, always put aside because I did not want to admit to the reality of the situation.  If I had done it in 2012 when I originally obtained the necessary paperwork from our doctor, I could have simply gone the route of getting Power of Attorney.  But now that Piper isn’t able to adequately communicate, the more comprehensive guardianship process is required.

I didn’t realize that the proceedure is much more complicated than signing a few papers, but entails a visit to the court in order to prove incompetence and the need for a legal guardian.  But it is time to complete the process and proceed we will!  It seems that North Carolina is much stricter in attaining some of the benefits offered to the handicapped than I found California to be.

I was pleasantly surprised when we came into the city limits of Raleigh.  Even though we did not go to the downtown area, but stayed in the northern section of the city, I still expected an experience closer to the San Francisco, big city feel than what we encountered.  Then again, one must remember that San Francisco is built on hills, has a population that is twice as large as Raleigh and is situated in a space that is close to one third as big as the approximately 144 square miles that incorporates the southern capital!  From what we saw, Raleigh is a charming city.  My mental picture of a multi-story high-rise and being greeted by Julianna Margulies of The Good Wife fame were quickly dashed as the Attorney's office was housed in a wonderful old brick two story home that would be at home in a Revolutionary War movie!

Our attorney is a wonderful young lady that made us immediately feel at home as she explained all the nuances of the process we were about to enter in to.  With great sensitivity she also talked of the parts of the process that many of her past clients have felt difficult to face concerning the declaring of incompetence.  I greatly appreciated her understanding and the concern and compassion she expressed to us.

As I mentioned previously, by this time in our journey, I have fought the emotional war of those facts, but am also strengthen by the truth and love of God’s Word that we are standing on in the face of all the natural steps we feel necessary to take.  In many respects I stand at awe at those who daily face this disease without the companionship of the Lord at their sides.  They must be very strong individuals to progress through the physical steps of the illness and handle all the turmoil that is incumbent to such a battle.  Then again, I also can clearly see the pain and utter hopelessness that surrounds them as I read the various Message Boards I occasionally look at on the Alzheimer’s Association’s national website.

Galatians 5:14 in The Message Bible bests summarizes the solution to the hurt and hopelessness that many in this world face every morning when they arise.  It says, “For everything we know about God’s word is summed up in a single sentence: love others as you love yourself.  That’s an act of true freedom.”

Freedom for what you may ask?  Freedom from the hopelessness that one regularly faces in the various situations in their lives.  Like I have repeatedly expressed in this blog, the depth and span of God’s love is the greatest asset I have learned to trust and hold on to throughout this life changing event that we are in the midst of.  The only thing that matters is His love for you and me!  In the last few years we have been through events, emotions and persecutions that one normally only sees in the movies!  But through it all, the ONE thing that has sustained us is the increasing knowledge of the love of Christ “which goes far beyond any knowledge,” (Ephesians 3:19 God’s Word ©) as Paul talked about in Ephesians 3:19.

Our dependence on His love opens the way for those situations to be “filled with God” through the spiritual and physical blessing He places along the way… like the Divine connection with our attorney in Raleigh.  I have come to see that God’s love is very flexible, unlimited and operable in all kinds of situations, beliefs and personal experiences, but in another respect, this love is also very black and white.  It is the ONLY alternative that is acceptable for us to follow.  I cannot find a single place in the Word where Jesus ever told us that are certain times or situations or even in the midst of persecutions that we can justify as an excuse to NOT respond in love!

His love is the answer!  It is His way, and as far as I can see… it is the only way for you and me!  Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word and asking yourself… “What or Whom am I expecting today?”