Back to work today. I am tired, and it was a long day. I went through a week's worth of email, mail, and other stuff, and attempted to prioritize what needed attention first, but I gotta tell you, it feels pretty good to be back. I hope my energy levels return this week.
I have a supportive spouse who kindly tried to make me feel better when I was down last week - he hardly ever sighed or gave me the "look". So how about a few lighthearted musings on marriage, from the book, "The Best Book of Useless Information Ever":
"I married the first man I ever kissed. When I tell this to my children, they just about throw up." - Barbara Bush
"Ah Mozart! He was happily married-but his wife wasn't." - Victor Borge
"Choose your wife by your ear rather than your eye." - Thomas Fuller
"Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and half-shut afterwards." - Benjamin Franklin
"I was married by a judge. I should have asked for a jury." - Groucho Marx
"The best way to get husbands to do something is to suggest that perhaps they are too old to do it." - Shirley MacLaine
"Honeymoon: A short period of doting between dating and debting." - Ray Bandy
"I take my wife everywhere I go. She always finds her way back." - Henny Youngman
"Before marriage, a man will lie awake all night thinking about something you said; after marriage, he'll fall asleep before you finish saying it." - Helen Rowland
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Things I Learned This Week
Last Sunday night I became rather ill rather quickly. On Monday, the doctor diagnosed it as "garden variety" influenza. I missed the entire week of work. Today, Saturday, I went outside my front door for the first time in 5 days. I am not contagious, but I'm not completely well, either. I did pick up a few things at the store, and am doing more home chores, but even now, I feel like I could lay down and take a nap. However, just because I was trapped in this house inside four walls for a WEEK doesn't mean I didn't learn anything. I learned stuff! I feel as if I must share this crucial knowledge with the world and although, it doesn't take a genius to figure these things out, it does take experience. There's nothing that will teach you better about life than going through it yourself. Otherwise, it's just words on your computer screen. So for what it's worth, here's what I learned:
1. The worst place to be when you are sick is the doctor's office. Doctor's offices were not built with sick people in mind. You go into a brightly lit waiting room and sit in uncomfortable waiting room chairs. You get called back to the little exam room and again, bright lighting and uncomfortable furnishings are there for you to enjoy. If you want to befuddle the nurse, lay down on the exam table, like I did, and ask for a pillow. I think if they really were wanting to offer services for the sick, they'd have a regular waiting room for people with ingrown toenails, boils, and hair loss, but a second waiting room set up with dim lighting and clean cots, with pillows, sheets and blankets for, here's a novel idea, SICK PEOPLE. You'd camp out there and snooze until the doctor came in to see you. You wouldn't care if he was 45 minutes late then. At least you wouldn't care as much.
2. While you are recouperating at home, there's not much on TV to watch during the day. I have cable so I have a few more options, but the pickin's are slim. Other than "Dog Whisperer" and the westerns on TVLand, there's not a lot left. I could only watch the entire hour of Price is Right one day out of five. I don't know how people stand it.
3. Being sick sucks the energy out of you like a black hole. One day I threw one load of laundry in the washer, put a few dishes in the dishwasher, then napped for 3 hours. And, like a black hole, other things are out of time sync. It takes longer to recouperate than what you think it will. You spread germs faster and further than you think you do. You move slower, you think slower. You are in your own universe of time and space. When darkness falls, you sorta come to and think, "What time is it? 8:00? It's about time for bed..."
4. You cannot hurry up the recouperation process. When you have influenza, all you can do is treat the symptoms, and those not very well. In treating those symptoms, I learned it's better to mix your own drug cocktail than to take a multi-symptom tablet. And, it's nice to already have them on hand so you don't have to try to explain to somebody what you want or need. I know exactly what works for me and what doesn't. I plan to have a supply available as I never want to walk into a Walgreen's and try to decipher the maze of brightly colored drug boxes through a fog of flu brain.
5. All the work that's piled up for me is waiting for my return on Monday and the best part is, the sky didn't fall down over two schools because I wasn't there. Nobody is indispensible. Some people's work is waiting on my work, but it'll just wait. Some meetings were postponned because I wasn't there, and they'll just wait. Some decisions were tabled and they'll be made later. Because my life came to a halt, in some ways, other people's work was affected, but-that's life.
So that's what I learned. Last comments: I am grateful it was just the flu. Many others face far more serious illness than that and with a lot more grace and dignity. I think of a person I know who continues to work in spite of weeks of chemo, weight loss, hair loss, and a general body shut down. We know what's going to happen. She does too. Still, she comes and does her job, and smiles brightly when she says hello. She works in spite of the pain, and I'm looking forward to seeing her Monday morning. I need that cheery hello from her, and a reminder that I have a lot to be thankful for.
1. The worst place to be when you are sick is the doctor's office. Doctor's offices were not built with sick people in mind. You go into a brightly lit waiting room and sit in uncomfortable waiting room chairs. You get called back to the little exam room and again, bright lighting and uncomfortable furnishings are there for you to enjoy. If you want to befuddle the nurse, lay down on the exam table, like I did, and ask for a pillow. I think if they really were wanting to offer services for the sick, they'd have a regular waiting room for people with ingrown toenails, boils, and hair loss, but a second waiting room set up with dim lighting and clean cots, with pillows, sheets and blankets for, here's a novel idea, SICK PEOPLE. You'd camp out there and snooze until the doctor came in to see you. You wouldn't care if he was 45 minutes late then. At least you wouldn't care as much.
2. While you are recouperating at home, there's not much on TV to watch during the day. I have cable so I have a few more options, but the pickin's are slim. Other than "Dog Whisperer" and the westerns on TVLand, there's not a lot left. I could only watch the entire hour of Price is Right one day out of five. I don't know how people stand it.
3. Being sick sucks the energy out of you like a black hole. One day I threw one load of laundry in the washer, put a few dishes in the dishwasher, then napped for 3 hours. And, like a black hole, other things are out of time sync. It takes longer to recouperate than what you think it will. You spread germs faster and further than you think you do. You move slower, you think slower. You are in your own universe of time and space. When darkness falls, you sorta come to and think, "What time is it? 8:00? It's about time for bed..."
4. You cannot hurry up the recouperation process. When you have influenza, all you can do is treat the symptoms, and those not very well. In treating those symptoms, I learned it's better to mix your own drug cocktail than to take a multi-symptom tablet. And, it's nice to already have them on hand so you don't have to try to explain to somebody what you want or need. I know exactly what works for me and what doesn't. I plan to have a supply available as I never want to walk into a Walgreen's and try to decipher the maze of brightly colored drug boxes through a fog of flu brain.
5. All the work that's piled up for me is waiting for my return on Monday and the best part is, the sky didn't fall down over two schools because I wasn't there. Nobody is indispensible. Some people's work is waiting on my work, but it'll just wait. Some meetings were postponned because I wasn't there, and they'll just wait. Some decisions were tabled and they'll be made later. Because my life came to a halt, in some ways, other people's work was affected, but-that's life.
So that's what I learned. Last comments: I am grateful it was just the flu. Many others face far more serious illness than that and with a lot more grace and dignity. I think of a person I know who continues to work in spite of weeks of chemo, weight loss, hair loss, and a general body shut down. We know what's going to happen. She does too. Still, she comes and does her job, and smiles brightly when she says hello. She works in spite of the pain, and I'm looking forward to seeing her Monday morning. I need that cheery hello from her, and a reminder that I have a lot to be thankful for.
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Downsizing is not for wimps
For those of you not local residents, Anita Cochran is almost a household name. She's spent her life in the news biz, most recently as the prime time news anchor for KSN for several years. Several months ago at the pinnacle of her career and making big bucks, she resigned her job. I have found her blog and am following her life with intense interest these days as she and her family adapt to living on one income by downsizing everything in their lives, including their large, well-furnished and expensive home. She is following the Dave Ramsey money envelope system and she is committed to spending only cash for those things which are in their budget. She has put her heart and voice on the line as she blogs her journey, and I have grown to admire her courage in publicly sharing what life is like.
There are those of you who might say, well-she may be downsizing but her husband still works and they still make more money than what many do. This may be true, but it doesn't make her struggle and commitment to live a simpler life less real. There are people who make 500,000 a year who don't know how to manage their money, and there are people that make 12,000 a year that don't know how to manage their money.
I like Anita. She shows boldness in chronicling her successes as well as her failures in trying to get a handle on what's important in life. For her, other things were more of a priority than beaming into 500,000 viewers homes every evening and she had the guts to change her life. You go girl!
Her website, appropriately titled, "Breaking News - I'm Broke!" is:
www.anitacochran.tv/
Be warned, at times she's a little rough around the edges. But I think you may take something away from her willingness to share this most personal adventure with you.
There are those of you who might say, well-she may be downsizing but her husband still works and they still make more money than what many do. This may be true, but it doesn't make her struggle and commitment to live a simpler life less real. There are people who make 500,000 a year who don't know how to manage their money, and there are people that make 12,000 a year that don't know how to manage their money.
I like Anita. She shows boldness in chronicling her successes as well as her failures in trying to get a handle on what's important in life. For her, other things were more of a priority than beaming into 500,000 viewers homes every evening and she had the guts to change her life. You go girl!
Her website, appropriately titled, "Breaking News - I'm Broke!" is:
www.anitacochran.tv/
Be warned, at times she's a little rough around the edges. But I think you may take something away from her willingness to share this most personal adventure with you.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Still learning lessons
I told my sister, I like Saturdays and I hate Saturdays. I like them when there's not a lot to do except just putz around and do what I want. I hate them when they are crammed every minute with some chore to do and some errand to run. Today has been one of the latter. I went to work out, went to WalMart and grocery shopped, unloaded all the bags, put everything away, and hopped right out on the porch to get some more painting done. The weather today has been fantastic-perfect painting weather. The Man is slowly and methodically repairing and painting the screens, and we are making progress, I guess. I think this is going to be something that takes me another 2-3 weeks to get completely done. In the middle of that today, we had a leaky toilet needing repair. A simple fix (we hope), but time consuming to do it.
We got another roof estimate last night, and are immediately impressed with the company representative. We just LIKED him, and I can't really tell you what about him was so special. There were several things about his bid that we thought would be better than what we've seen so far so we may have found our winner.
So my daughter is having a get together at her house, and I think I'll go over for a little bit. I'm going to make a couple of taco rings to take with me so that's probably why she wants me to come over there. (Just kidding, I think.)
I've finished the second week of school and things are okay. At the new building, it's all about learning a new system, however, it's made easier by the people I've met and have started working with. I am sharing a large office with two other staff members who are there full time and we seem to be compatible in terms of conversation, work ethic, etc. Our desks are facing each other, so that's a little weird, but it'll be ok. One of the things I like about this job is that I get to meet the most interesting people-sometime I'll have to tell you about Lois (not her real name). She's one of my office mates, and she's just intriguing to me. She's single and was raised in the Mennonite faith in a small community north of here. I've already been blessed by her overtures of friendship, to me-a stranger trying to fit in to this new workplace.
See, I was not enthused when I was first shown my workspace, and when I realized there would be two other people in there. The first plan was going to be to house me in a small space in another hallway by myself. But had the principal stuck to that plan, I would have not ever experienced this blessing of this friendship, and of getting to know both of these staff members. I would have certainly felt more isolated and alone. Lesson: Let go and let God do His thing. It might just be something that will be beneficial to you in the long run.
We got another roof estimate last night, and are immediately impressed with the company representative. We just LIKED him, and I can't really tell you what about him was so special. There were several things about his bid that we thought would be better than what we've seen so far so we may have found our winner.
So my daughter is having a get together at her house, and I think I'll go over for a little bit. I'm going to make a couple of taco rings to take with me so that's probably why she wants me to come over there. (Just kidding, I think.)
I've finished the second week of school and things are okay. At the new building, it's all about learning a new system, however, it's made easier by the people I've met and have started working with. I am sharing a large office with two other staff members who are there full time and we seem to be compatible in terms of conversation, work ethic, etc. Our desks are facing each other, so that's a little weird, but it'll be ok. One of the things I like about this job is that I get to meet the most interesting people-sometime I'll have to tell you about Lois (not her real name). She's one of my office mates, and she's just intriguing to me. She's single and was raised in the Mennonite faith in a small community north of here. I've already been blessed by her overtures of friendship, to me-a stranger trying to fit in to this new workplace.
See, I was not enthused when I was first shown my workspace, and when I realized there would be two other people in there. The first plan was going to be to house me in a small space in another hallway by myself. But had the principal stuck to that plan, I would have not ever experienced this blessing of this friendship, and of getting to know both of these staff members. I would have certainly felt more isolated and alone. Lesson: Let go and let God do His thing. It might just be something that will be beneficial to you in the long run.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Slippery Slope Theory
I'm posting again, already today, because of a discussion I had with someone about the previous post. This person (this would be my spouse, in case you are wondering) is in agreement with most of what Factcheck.org is saying about the bill, but is extremely unhappy about what he perceives as the bigger picture. The bigger picture, according to him, is not really the bill's overt language. It's what's written between the lines, it's what the INTENT is, it's what the ramifications of this bill could be, it's give an inch, take a mile, it's beginning the downhill slide, as he sees it, into the world of not only the government dictating health care (i.e., socialized medicine), but it's running private health insurance companies out of business because they won't be able to compete. It's the government telling my health insurance company what changes they can make in my plan, and it's federal sticky fingers overseeing a business that it has no business being a part of. Right NOW, he says, there is no one telling grandma she can't have a hip replacement, however, the term "cost effective" has been thrown around and implications made that grandma might be better off just taking a pain piill instead of getting her hip fixed. There's no euthanasia in the present bill, however, he sees it as a way to open the door to that very practice because it could be cost saving. He would like the government out of his life, out of his health care, out of his home, and out of what kind of car he drives.
There's a lot of things in life we can apply the slippery slope theory to and we need to do that from time to time in order to be watchful and responsible in our actions. I appreciate talking with him about it, because as a dyed-in-the-wool conservative Republican, he has a lot to worry about where this bill is concerned and he articulates his worries well. But, he did admit that there are those that present these issues as "facts", when indeed, they are not facts, they are simply opinions of what may happen in the future should our country head in this direction. This is all I'm asking - if both sides could just state what's opinion, and what's fact then I can think and opine for myself.
There's a lot of things in life we can apply the slippery slope theory to and we need to do that from time to time in order to be watchful and responsible in our actions. I appreciate talking with him about it, because as a dyed-in-the-wool conservative Republican, he has a lot to worry about where this bill is concerned and he articulates his worries well. But, he did admit that there are those that present these issues as "facts", when indeed, they are not facts, they are simply opinions of what may happen in the future should our country head in this direction. This is all I'm asking - if both sides could just state what's opinion, and what's fact then I can think and opine for myself.
Saturday Musings
Every single person you meet and get to know, even on a casual basis, can teach you something, and I suppose that's why I find people fascinating. I am assigned to two schools, 3 days at one and 2 days at the other. I am working for two very competent, professional, building principals who could not be more different in their management style - they are as opposite as day and night. I'm not saying that one style is preferred over the other, I'm just saying they are different. Consequently, there are different expectations of me, their school psychologist. One school is a new assignment, so I'm on a learning curve when it comes to figuring out what I need to do to fit in with a new team and to do my job so that we work together in achieving what we want. At the other school, I'm beginning my 4th year, and it fits comfortably like an old glove. I don't have to worry so much about those things - I've been there longer than the principal, which in an odd sort of way, makes me feel better!
At the team meeting at the new school this week, I did not say anything, I just watched and listened. And learned.
*****************
On a different subject, how are you feeling about the health care reform bill that's in the news, almost as much as the untimely death of Michael Jackson was? Personally, I'm tired of hearing about extremist opinions on both sides of the debate. According to factcheck.org, there are seven falsehoods prevelent about the current arguments for and against this bill. Here they are:
False: Government will decide what care I get (a.k.a. Grandma won't get a hip replacement).
False: The bill is paid for.
False: Private insurance will be illegal.
False: The House bill requires suicide counseling.
False: Families will save $2,500.
False: Medicare claims will be slashed.
False: Illegal immigrants will be covered.
I would encourage you to check out this website. It has been up and running for years, and is not in the hands of any particular political party. There appears to be good documentation regarding why these claims are false. I don't mind good debate on these issues, but I hate arguing when people on both sides distort facts and present it as truth. If you want to talk about the issues, do it honestly. This is why I hate even talking about this. There are those who, even when presented with the facts will hold on to their opinion as truth. Don't do that.
At the team meeting at the new school this week, I did not say anything, I just watched and listened. And learned.
*****************
On a different subject, how are you feeling about the health care reform bill that's in the news, almost as much as the untimely death of Michael Jackson was? Personally, I'm tired of hearing about extremist opinions on both sides of the debate. According to factcheck.org, there are seven falsehoods prevelent about the current arguments for and against this bill. Here they are:
False: Government will decide what care I get (a.k.a. Grandma won't get a hip replacement).
False: The bill is paid for.
False: Private insurance will be illegal.
False: The House bill requires suicide counseling.
False: Families will save $2,500.
False: Medicare claims will be slashed.
False: Illegal immigrants will be covered.
I would encourage you to check out this website. It has been up and running for years, and is not in the hands of any particular political party. There appears to be good documentation regarding why these claims are false. I don't mind good debate on these issues, but I hate arguing when people on both sides distort facts and present it as truth. If you want to talk about the issues, do it honestly. This is why I hate even talking about this. There are those who, even when presented with the facts will hold on to their opinion as truth. Don't do that.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet, don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run-
Yours is the earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a man, my son!
by Rudyard Kipling
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet, don't look too good, nor talk too wise;
If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them "Hold on";
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run-
Yours is the earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a man, my son!
by Rudyard Kipling
Saturday
The last couple of days have been busy ones for me. I had my first colonoscopy (!, sorry to entertain you with such delicate information), and I've been painting, cleaning, etc. The aforementioned medical procedure went well, and results of the polypectomy should be known in a few days. Other results are too uncouth, gauche, and maladroit to be written about here, but if you want to know and cannot stand not knowing, email me and I'll tell you. It's very true what they say. The preparation is much worse than the actual procedure, if you get my drift.
Back to work on Monday. I'm ready to go, I think, although I have certainly enjoyed my time adrift in a sea of summertime activities. Our church has a picnic scheduled for tomorrow evening but I'm not overly anxious to go and sit in the wind and heat. We do have a shelter rented at a local park, and there's fishing there, so I might take my pole. Depends on how hot it is. Most fish won't bite in the heat of the day. What am I gonna do if I catch one anyway?
Not a lot of deep thinking going on here in this blog entry today, but I do have a lot on the brain. It's just not fit for public musing. Yet.
Back to work on Monday. I'm ready to go, I think, although I have certainly enjoyed my time adrift in a sea of summertime activities. Our church has a picnic scheduled for tomorrow evening but I'm not overly anxious to go and sit in the wind and heat. We do have a shelter rented at a local park, and there's fishing there, so I might take my pole. Depends on how hot it is. Most fish won't bite in the heat of the day. What am I gonna do if I catch one anyway?
Not a lot of deep thinking going on here in this blog entry today, but I do have a lot on the brain. It's just not fit for public musing. Yet.
Sunday, August 02, 2009
Twilight
Sunday morning-what a gift these days are. I'm sitting here with coffee, windows open, listening to the birds, and...what's that? Lydia is barking. Oh! I looked out the window and there's a woman practically running by with, count them, 4 large dogs on leashes. Good grief! I don't know how she manages to keep control of all of them.
We finished up the yard sale yesterday and the kids didn't do too badly. I was glad I didn't have to do a lot of the work for it, though. I put a few things out but no one decided they needed my "treasures". I also went to the nursing home yesterday and played the piano for the residents. There weren't a lot of people there, the attendant told me that many of them had gone with their families for the day. But those that were there to listen seemed to enjoy it. A man and his wife came-she is actually the resident there and he stays with her most of the day. He came up to the piano and sang along with me. He also put a piece of music in front of me that he got from the piano bench and asked me to play it, telling me that they used to play this particular piece in his church during communion time. Although I'm not a very good sight-reader, I managed to make it through this composition easily, and it is beautiful. The title is simply "Hymne". I don't remember the composer, but after I played, he was so appreciative.
It's a little thing, really, playing the piano in a nursing home. They like the old hymns, none of this modern stuff for them. They request the same ones each week, and each week, I'm happy to do it. Every time I get ready to leave there's this goodbye "ritual -, I play "God Be With You Til We Meet Again", and then greet each one who has come. "Come back!", they'll say. "Come anytime!" This time, I had lots of questions about where my daughter and son were-they usually come along and help sing and he plays as well. They both had other things they needed to do, but they were greatly missed. Next Saturday I will probably miss as I am having a medical procedure done on Friday, and I just am not sure I will feel up to going, but we'll see how things go. This is the second time in my life that I find myself doing this. Many years ago when my children were little, I went on Sunday afternoon with a couple of people to the Lincoln East Nursing Home. I played, Bill sang, and Sam preached. We had a little church service right there. I told God I would do it for 18 months (the length of time my mother was incapacitated before she died), and ended up going for more than 2 years.
It's doing something outside yourself, and forgetting about your problems and your difficulties. It is understanding that many depend on us, the Church, to provide ministry to them. It is helping those at the twilight of the day gain "strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow", as the hymn states. It is realizing that there are blessings for not only those who are ministered to, but for the "ministers" as well. I'm not talking about a feel good all over transitory emotion-"I've done my good deed for the day" thing. I'm talking about something much deeper. Many of these folks have a faith they are clinging to which I have not yet grasped, but yet, which is so very visible to someone like me who comes in once a week for an hour. It makes me wonder if I'll have what it takes to meet my future-whatever that may be. With my health history, I could very easily end up in a place much like these folks and probably will. Will I pass the test? Will my faith in the God who made me, and who knows my name, be enough to sustain me, no matter what happens? Will I be able to make it visible to those who are around me, even if I can't take care of myself?
I have a friend in her 80's who is currently in treatment for cancer. This is her 3rd or 4th re-occurence, yet, she remains one of the most positive people I know. She told me on the phone the other day that she shares her faith openly with the doctors who treat her, asking them if they pray, if they believe in God, if they know Jesus. If they answer negatively, which some do, she walks through that doorway and tells them what Jesus has done for her. She prays for and with each doctor who treats her, sometimes as he/she is at her bedside. This woman is a true hero of the faith. She has no self-given labels i.e., "Queen of Evangelism", but she has, as so many others, given me an example to follow. My prayer is that I am faithful to the end, whatever and whenever that is for me.
We finished up the yard sale yesterday and the kids didn't do too badly. I was glad I didn't have to do a lot of the work for it, though. I put a few things out but no one decided they needed my "treasures". I also went to the nursing home yesterday and played the piano for the residents. There weren't a lot of people there, the attendant told me that many of them had gone with their families for the day. But those that were there to listen seemed to enjoy it. A man and his wife came-she is actually the resident there and he stays with her most of the day. He came up to the piano and sang along with me. He also put a piece of music in front of me that he got from the piano bench and asked me to play it, telling me that they used to play this particular piece in his church during communion time. Although I'm not a very good sight-reader, I managed to make it through this composition easily, and it is beautiful. The title is simply "Hymne". I don't remember the composer, but after I played, he was so appreciative.
It's a little thing, really, playing the piano in a nursing home. They like the old hymns, none of this modern stuff for them. They request the same ones each week, and each week, I'm happy to do it. Every time I get ready to leave there's this goodbye "ritual -, I play "God Be With You Til We Meet Again", and then greet each one who has come. "Come back!", they'll say. "Come anytime!" This time, I had lots of questions about where my daughter and son were-they usually come along and help sing and he plays as well. They both had other things they needed to do, but they were greatly missed. Next Saturday I will probably miss as I am having a medical procedure done on Friday, and I just am not sure I will feel up to going, but we'll see how things go. This is the second time in my life that I find myself doing this. Many years ago when my children were little, I went on Sunday afternoon with a couple of people to the Lincoln East Nursing Home. I played, Bill sang, and Sam preached. We had a little church service right there. I told God I would do it for 18 months (the length of time my mother was incapacitated before she died), and ended up going for more than 2 years.
It's doing something outside yourself, and forgetting about your problems and your difficulties. It is understanding that many depend on us, the Church, to provide ministry to them. It is helping those at the twilight of the day gain "strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow", as the hymn states. It is realizing that there are blessings for not only those who are ministered to, but for the "ministers" as well. I'm not talking about a feel good all over transitory emotion-"I've done my good deed for the day" thing. I'm talking about something much deeper. Many of these folks have a faith they are clinging to which I have not yet grasped, but yet, which is so very visible to someone like me who comes in once a week for an hour. It makes me wonder if I'll have what it takes to meet my future-whatever that may be. With my health history, I could very easily end up in a place much like these folks and probably will. Will I pass the test? Will my faith in the God who made me, and who knows my name, be enough to sustain me, no matter what happens? Will I be able to make it visible to those who are around me, even if I can't take care of myself?
I have a friend in her 80's who is currently in treatment for cancer. This is her 3rd or 4th re-occurence, yet, she remains one of the most positive people I know. She told me on the phone the other day that she shares her faith openly with the doctors who treat her, asking them if they pray, if they believe in God, if they know Jesus. If they answer negatively, which some do, she walks through that doorway and tells them what Jesus has done for her. She prays for and with each doctor who treats her, sometimes as he/she is at her bedside. This woman is a true hero of the faith. She has no self-given labels i.e., "Queen of Evangelism", but she has, as so many others, given me an example to follow. My prayer is that I am faithful to the end, whatever and whenever that is for me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)