Bathing

There was a post on one of the caregiver forums about bathing. That's been a huge problem for me over the years. It was a terrible problem with my mother. Later, after she died, it became an even bigger problem with my dad.

Eventually I learned to choose my battles very carefully though. I found out I had a very limited reserve of emotional and physical energy. I had more physical energy than emotional energy though. If my emotional reserve became depleted that was it for me - couldn't do anything else until I was replenished.

So in the great scheme of things I finally figured out that bathing was not a very high priority. On the other hand I found out that dirty clothes - and I mean really dirty - was a problem.

Those dirty clothes get to smelling really bad for one thing. For another there is a real chance of growing stuff that's pretty undesirable. Touching them is awful, too.

The discussion though made me think about it from a spiritual perspective. We get so involved thinking about the exterior and forgetting about the inside. I recall those words of Jesus in Matthew 23:25-27 (NASB):

25"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.

26"You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.

27"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness."

I have no doubt that Dad's dementia is entirely physical. His spirit still is present with me here. Sometimes I can even sense him here.

Today we are sitting on the porch. He's in his recliner and I am sitting in the old white, springy lawn chair. I bought the recliner not so long ago to replace one more ancient. I prefer the old lawn chair though. I think it is because it is old. I remember when it came to live here. It was not new then either.

Dad occasionally tries to talk to me about one thing or another. But mostly we are sitting here in silence except for the old Sony CD player. It is playing "Majesty" by Jack Hayford:

Majesty
© 1987 Jack Hayford

Majesty, worship His Majesty.
Unto Jesus, be all glory, honor and praise!
Majesty, Kingdom authority,
Flow from His throne, unto His own
His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on High the name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King!
Majesty, worship His Majesty,
Jesus, who died, now glorified,
King of all Kings!

Majesty, worship His Majesty.
Unto Jesus, be all glory, honor and praise!
Majesty, Kingdom authority,
Flow from His throne, unto His own
His anthem raise.

So exalt, lift up on High the name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King!
Majesty, worship His Majesty,
Jesus, who died, now glorified,
King of all Kings!

So exalt, lift up on High the name of Jesus.
Magnify, come glorify Christ Jesus, the King!
Majesty, worship His Majesty,
Jesus, who died, now glorified,
King of all Kings!

It is enough for me that we can sit here together like this and listen to this song and watch the traffic.