daily life as life goes on . . .

I suppose every town has a seniors home.  Perhaps it is only a house where a family member attends to their parent.  Or maybe a private home with three or four residents.  Perhaps even an institution.

Kindersley had a Sunset Lodge many years ago.  That was housing for many different levels of care.  Couples could remain together.  The staff were multi-functional people, who lived with Alzheimer patients as well as handicapped, and perhaps even some who were quite nimble but enjoyed a bit of assisted living.

Then a newer facility was built, and then apartments throughout the town and finally a high rise apartment building with over ninety apartments and meals provided in the rent.

The Heritage Manor is now decades old.  And in good shape.

Not so the people. This has become, in the past few years, the place for level 3-4 care patients – many with extra needs.  A lady who enter about a decade ago, has a nimble mind and is still somewhat active is now surrounded by those whose level of care has become progressively greater.

So today, as we led a hymn sing amongst them, I reminisced to myself.  Six years ago, when we arrived in town, most of the residents would sing heartily and were quite aware of their surroundings.  Many still sing lustily, but the memory and attention spans are much less.  Which means a sermon or even a short devotional thought is difficult to follow.

Music is often the last thing to go.  So we sing heartily, I joke a bit and we sense God’s presence in the midst.  Not all encounters with God require you to excel  academically, physically and emotionally.  Somehow being there can be enough – God reaches us where we are, as we are!!

Perhaps it is the time of year.  Perhaps the time of the decade.  Perhaps an end is about to begin.

I listened to a prediction of the end of the world.  That didn’t happen.  And has now been revised.  In this case I’m sure the prediction is man-made, not God-based.

Nevertheless, the tornado season has been strong – destroying towns and making even the strong heart faint. 

Which reminds me to check out my own time clock.  How close is the end?  Just around the corner?

I add to these considerations the stories of friends with cancer and other physically debilitating diseases.  Life is only alive by the grace and sustenance of God. 

That’s not a bad thing.  In fact, I would say that is a reassuring thing.  When this life ends, if we are in God’s hands through the wounded hands of Jesus, we are headed to a great beginning. 

Doesn’t make the leaving any easier.  Does make the reunion even sweeter!

Good thing that you can do electronic checks online.  I was just skimming my credit card statement and staring at me was a high amount.  More than usual!

Well, somehow a Paypal charge was put on my Visa.  Well, actually my wife’s Visa.  Who has never used Paypal. 

So, right now we are going through the fun (agony?) of getting the charge reversed.  Soon a new card will arrive for my wife.

On TV tonight reporters talked about PIN machines being swiped (quite literally).  The plastic money of today can really be a pain.  The TV reporter finished by suggesting that we all return to cash if we don’t want our finances stolen. 

OK, you can counterfeit money!  And you can’t guarantee a hotel room with cash.  And online purchases can’t be fulfilled by sending reassurance over the internet that the “money is in the mail.”

So, I guess we are stuck with plastic money.  And hopefully as enjoyable service representatives as ours was tonight.  Perhaps his name was a sign!  He was called Emmanuel – “God with us.”

What can you remember from years gone by?  I admit every once in awhile I have a picture flash across my memory.  Caused by a smell, or a series of events that link to the picture, or a voice, or . . .

But, what makes certain word phrases stick? 

I suppose repetition.  I have Bible verses memorized that just come back.  It took a while to learn them but I’m not sure I’ll ever lose them.  My mother, who has Alzheimer’s, still can recite verses once a phrase is presented to her.

I suppose music.  When I hear a chord progression or a lyric line, the words flood back.  This also relates to poetry, which has a rhythmic feel to it.  Again, Alzheimer’s doesn’t erase that ability!

I suppose fear.  When I was young I need to know my phone number, just in case.  I can still recite one – 692-6833.  That was in my early elementary years.

I suppose hope.  When a vision has been cast, whether for church, work or personal – I remember the phrases.  One church I was in used four words – Connect, Grow, Reach, Serve. 

I suppose simple.  I remember short acronyms that roll out into phrases.  SGI – Small Group Initiatives.  AMP – Autonomy, Mastery, Purpose.

What helps you to remember?