A couple Christmases ago I had plans to go downtown with a nearby church to feed the homeless early Christmas morning. Jason sleeps late anyway and I would be home by 10. I'd never done anything like that and thought it would be a special way to spend the morning.
(BTW, I'm writing these stories anyway to put together so I don't forget them, but I have to say that I've really contemplated whether I should post them or not. Only because I don't want to look like I am bragging about ME. I do this to brag about GOD and the amazing things He will do through us if we listen for His voice!)
(I also have a slightly uneasy feeling when I post these things because I know a lot of people probably think I'm too much with the 'God' thing. But its just who I am. If you don't like it don't read it. )
So anyway, I got up and got ready, but as I was praying, the thought of a nursing home came into my head, out of nowhere, really strong.
I went and woke up Jason and said 'I know this sounds really crazy (I think I say this a lot!), but I feel like I'm supposed to go to a nursing home.' And he said, 'well, go to a nursing home then', hahaha.(i thank God that my husband has never once acted weirded out by the huge change that has taken place in me over the last few years : )
So I get in my car and start driving. Never really paid attention to where any were by my house. I said alright God, I guess I'm following you this morning. Guess we're going to a nursing home.
A couple miles down the road I came to one. Marycrest Nursing Home. I grabbed my bible and started walking toward the entrance feeling pretty nervous. What am I going to say? What am I supposed to do?
I walk in the lobby and find myself face to face with a beautiful life-size statue of Jesus! ha! I didn't even realize it was a Christian place. Turned out to be a Catholic nursing home.
I told the lady at the front desk I'd like to visit anybody who needed someone. She told me to just go on back and find one of the nun's. As i was walking down the hall there was an adorable little woman named Katherine sitting in her doorway. She was 99 years old. Totally with it. I hung out with her for an hour and a half or so. She asked me to take her to the chapel and we said a prayer. I pushed her up close to the manger scene and she said she'd never seen it up close and we just looked at it for awhile.
I came back to visit her about a week later. Then the next weekend I was cleaning my house and looking at this beautiful angel statue my mother had given me. I had this feeling I should take it to her. I also knew my mom would flip if she knew I gave it away!
But I took it and said a prayer to God, that I trusted He would make sure I got that angel back somehow!
When I got there they said Katherine had passed away. I started to leave teary-eyed, but then turned back and asked if there was anyone else who maybe needed a visitor.
They said yes, a woman named Joyce, and directed me to her room. They said she was quite ill, failing kidneys.
I walked in the room and she was watching a movie. She had a tiny little tv at the foot of her bed with a built in vhs player. She seemed a bit cranky to me and initially, as mean as it sounds, not as cute and cuddly as Katherine was. We chatted a little bit though she had a fairly weak voice and coughed a lot, and I gave her the Angel, which she loved.
I ended up coming back frequently to see Joyce and came to love her and find her just as cute. : ) Her daughter and son-in-law were really sweet, but as busy as lives are, they only got there sometimes on the weekend for a little bit.
The nursing home was on the way to work, so most mornings I would run in and give her a hug and smile and be on my way. If i got up early enough we'd say a prayer or I would read from a women's devotional she had.
On Saturdays I'd try to come watch a movie with her. She was all about movies, watched them all day long. Sadly she would sometimes watch the same ones over and over. So I thought i was gonna try and find some old VHS movies for her. Right around that time my neighbor comes over with two big boxes of movies he was gonna get rid of! Those kept her busy for a long time. : )
I watched the Sound of Music with her for the first time. I had never seen it!
As the months wore on she was getting sicker. Some mornings she would be asleep and I wouldn't want to wake her so I would write notes on her Styrofoam water cup that would be on the tray in front of her.
When my belly was growing with Gianna inside she would yell at me to buy maternity clothes, that my pants were too tight. When I finally went shopping for them my first stop was to show them all to Joyce who of course was very approving.
She also shared with me a serious struggle from her life. 5 miscarriages, 4 of them quite late term, like when she was 4 and 5 months pregnant. But she pressed on and gave birth to 3 children! Tough woman.
After 8 months of spending time with her, I was grocery shopping and I got a call from one of the nuns that said Joyce was going to die soon and to please come. I ran home and got my bible, my book of songs we sang in Israel, and grabbed one of my rocks from Israel. That sounds kinda superstitious I know, but my impulse was to grab the rock.
She couldn't really talk, but was moving her eyes and really struggling to breathe. I started singing quietly to her and holding her hand with the rock in between our hands. I mostly sang the songs How Great is Our God and Amazing Grace.
When I could tell she was about to pass I read Psalm 23, and as I was reading it she stopped breathing and died.
I just sat there in silence for a moment and said a prayer and thanked God her suffering was over. I thought about the fact that some months prior she had changed rooms and I was in the same room where I had first found Katherine on Christmas morning.
I went and got the nurse and before I left I went back and got my angel.. As I walked through the parking lot, angel in hand, I was overwhelmed by the whole experience! : )
I thought my time with Joyce was over, but then i got a call from her daughter asking me to please come to the funeral home.
I got to see all the pictures of her life! She was beautiful! And looked to be quite spunky and full of life. Looking through all her pics I felt SOOO blessed that God had chosen me to be there to hang out with her in the end of her days on earth.
One of the most important jobs I have ever done or ever will do I am sure!
If we will just genuinely seek Him and spend some silent time with Him, quiet time where we're able to discern his voice, He will use us in amazing ways that will benefit us and those around us.
How Great is Our God?!!!
: )
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(BTW, I'm writing these stories anyway to put together so I don't forget them, but I have to say that I've really contemplated whether I should post them or not. Only because I don't want to look like I am bragging about ME. I do this to brag about GOD and the amazing things He will do through us if we listen for His voice!)
(I also have a slightly uneasy feeling when I post these things because I know a lot of people probably think I'm too much with the 'God' thing. But its just who I am. If you don't like it don't read it. )
So anyway, I got up and got ready, but as I was praying, the thought of a nursing home came into my head, out of nowhere, really strong.
I went and woke up Jason and said 'I know this sounds really crazy (I think I say this a lot!), but I feel like I'm supposed to go to a nursing home.' And he said, 'well, go to a nursing home then', hahaha.(i thank God that my husband has never once acted weirded out by the huge change that has taken place in me over the last few years : )
So I get in my car and start driving. Never really paid attention to where any were by my house. I said alright God, I guess I'm following you this morning. Guess we're going to a nursing home.
A couple miles down the road I came to one. Marycrest Nursing Home. I grabbed my bible and started walking toward the entrance feeling pretty nervous. What am I going to say? What am I supposed to do?
I walk in the lobby and find myself face to face with a beautiful life-size statue of Jesus! ha! I didn't even realize it was a Christian place. Turned out to be a Catholic nursing home.
I told the lady at the front desk I'd like to visit anybody who needed someone. She told me to just go on back and find one of the nun's. As i was walking down the hall there was an adorable little woman named Katherine sitting in her doorway. She was 99 years old. Totally with it. I hung out with her for an hour and a half or so. She asked me to take her to the chapel and we said a prayer. I pushed her up close to the manger scene and she said she'd never seen it up close and we just looked at it for awhile.
I came back to visit her about a week later. Then the next weekend I was cleaning my house and looking at this beautiful angel statue my mother had given me. I had this feeling I should take it to her. I also knew my mom would flip if she knew I gave it away!
But I took it and said a prayer to God, that I trusted He would make sure I got that angel back somehow!
When I got there they said Katherine had passed away. I started to leave teary-eyed, but then turned back and asked if there was anyone else who maybe needed a visitor.
They said yes, a woman named Joyce, and directed me to her room. They said she was quite ill, failing kidneys.
I walked in the room and she was watching a movie. She had a tiny little tv at the foot of her bed with a built in vhs player. She seemed a bit cranky to me and initially, as mean as it sounds, not as cute and cuddly as Katherine was. We chatted a little bit though she had a fairly weak voice and coughed a lot, and I gave her the Angel, which she loved.
I ended up coming back frequently to see Joyce and came to love her and find her just as cute. : ) Her daughter and son-in-law were really sweet, but as busy as lives are, they only got there sometimes on the weekend for a little bit.
The nursing home was on the way to work, so most mornings I would run in and give her a hug and smile and be on my way. If i got up early enough we'd say a prayer or I would read from a women's devotional she had.
On Saturdays I'd try to come watch a movie with her. She was all about movies, watched them all day long. Sadly she would sometimes watch the same ones over and over. So I thought i was gonna try and find some old VHS movies for her. Right around that time my neighbor comes over with two big boxes of movies he was gonna get rid of! Those kept her busy for a long time. : )
I watched the Sound of Music with her for the first time. I had never seen it!
As the months wore on she was getting sicker. Some mornings she would be asleep and I wouldn't want to wake her so I would write notes on her Styrofoam water cup that would be on the tray in front of her.
When my belly was growing with Gianna inside she would yell at me to buy maternity clothes, that my pants were too tight. When I finally went shopping for them my first stop was to show them all to Joyce who of course was very approving.
She also shared with me a serious struggle from her life. 5 miscarriages, 4 of them quite late term, like when she was 4 and 5 months pregnant. But she pressed on and gave birth to 3 children! Tough woman.
After 8 months of spending time with her, I was grocery shopping and I got a call from one of the nuns that said Joyce was going to die soon and to please come. I ran home and got my bible, my book of songs we sang in Israel, and grabbed one of my rocks from Israel. That sounds kinda superstitious I know, but my impulse was to grab the rock.
She couldn't really talk, but was moving her eyes and really struggling to breathe. I started singing quietly to her and holding her hand with the rock in between our hands. I mostly sang the songs How Great is Our God and Amazing Grace.
When I could tell she was about to pass I read Psalm 23, and as I was reading it she stopped breathing and died.
I just sat there in silence for a moment and said a prayer and thanked God her suffering was over. I thought about the fact that some months prior she had changed rooms and I was in the same room where I had first found Katherine on Christmas morning.
I went and got the nurse and before I left I went back and got my angel.. As I walked through the parking lot, angel in hand, I was overwhelmed by the whole experience! : )
I thought my time with Joyce was over, but then i got a call from her daughter asking me to please come to the funeral home.
I got to see all the pictures of her life! She was beautiful! And looked to be quite spunky and full of life. Looking through all her pics I felt SOOO blessed that God had chosen me to be there to hang out with her in the end of her days on earth.
One of the most important jobs I have ever done or ever will do I am sure!
If we will just genuinely seek Him and spend some silent time with Him, quiet time where we're able to discern his voice, He will use us in amazing ways that will benefit us and those around us.
How Great is Our God?!!!
: )
Matthew 6:33
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
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