Our Bodies as Fragile Vessels

We are, as Adam, created from the dust; our bodies are temples unto the Lord, yet are subject to fatigue, injury, sickness and ultimately death. Today was one of those days weather-wise that really brought the fatigue and sickness to the forefront, but news from my dad about the state of my grandpa's condition made it even more real.

My grandpa is a retired Methodist preacher, a great man of God (I am named after him); he was a circuit preacher (meaning he traveled to three or four churches over a month's period) in some of the coldest country there is, North Dakota, when my dad was little then settled into Indiana. He has a great passion for the Gospel, but early Alzheimer's has set in and he has been dealing with numerous health problems. Lately he has had mini-strokes which cause him to blackout and lose his balance; this, coupled with not remembering certain things have started to rob him of who he is. Within the last week, he has been hospitalized with a severe bacteria infection (he has been put in isolation where you can only approach him with a protective suit because it's so contagious) and has been diagnosed with what's called "sundown syndrome." Sundown's has this effect: about 3 or 4 in the afternoon, my grandpa becomes a different person, very nasty and very curt with anyone (even his wife) that is near him.

This is really wearing his wife out physically, and she knows she really can't take care of him at home with all that's happened. I am most sad that due to finances and distance, my wife has never had a chance to meet the man I knew growing up, and if things do not improve, Josiah will never see or know his great-grandpa. This would be tough, but God has His hand in this. I imagine the hardest thing for my grandpa is that he wants to remember things and can't; I pray that the grace of God abides in Him and with his wife during this situation. I'd appreciate the prayers of any of those out there reading this as well. Most of all, I pray that the Alzheimer's doesn't rob him of his knowledge of the Gospel and that, if all else leaves, the grace of the Gospel will guide him through to glory.

All this reminds me how fragile we are, and that while we may be called to suffer for Christ's sake, the road is most certainly hard.