Rejecting Help

We begged, cajoled, almost coerced Grandma to leave her home to either live with us or have a small assisted living apartment. She refused. The only option left would be to tie her up and put her on top of the van like a Christmas tree. It would not work to put her in the car, even fully bound because she is old and frail but feisty and her mouth muscles seem stronger than ever.  So with our hopeful departure time being pushed back further and further Arvo and I both got on the phone and made dozens of calls. Finally, we arranged to have two home health services coming to assess the situation (one today) and the private one will start immediate services after the assessment. As I arranged it, before getting off the phone, I asked Grandma, "So are you on board with this?"
"I'm on board," she said, "Or you will never leave."

It is not fun using strong arm tactics with a frail and kindly, shaking old woman who would die for us. I appealed to her sense of reason,
"Mom, if your own mother were in the same level of health as you are, would you leave her to live on her own?"
"She was!" exclaimed Grandma, "And she was so stubborn! She refused!"
I looked pointedly at her without speaking, letting those words echo back to her.

The situation is not unlike what God faces with us every day.  He pleads with us to be rational; look at the evidence of His goodness and provision. Trust in Him and turn to Him and be healed. But we run on our meager and imperfect self-reliance, rejecting the source of sustenance and help, to our detriment and His despair.

In the end, we have probably done all  we can do for now, other than continue in prayer.  But I told Asherel that should I ever become so irrational, just bop me over the head, and drag me away.

1 Peter 4:7-8 (NIV)
The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray. [8] Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.