[Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Tuesday, April 1 2014

[Paul]

Hello all you folks out there, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and saints of the Most High God.  I hope that your day is going well or went well.

The reason for this early post is that, from 2-4 p.m. eastern time today, the Mid-Atlantic Blind Bull Riders Association is going to have their gathering on the National Mall in Washington DC, and I have to be there.  Luckily we've found places in Lorton Virginia to house the bulls.  Anyway that's the reason for the early post.

One more thing before the article in question is posted.  For those of you who haven't figured it out already, the answer to the weekly Bible game was Philippians 2.

And now to the article in question.  It was written by a blind lady from North Carolina named Malinda Fillingim, and her insightful article is entitled "In the Garden," rendered as follows:

The clock could not tick fast enough for me.  My shift was over in just a few minutes and my aching feet wanted to rest badly.

I was walking down the halls of the geriatric ward where I worked as a social worker with patients who suffered from Alzheimer's disease.  It had been a long day, a day of repeating myself frequently, redirecting clients over and over, a day of helping families understand this very long and hard journey of saying good-bye.  It was a day like any other day at work--a day to remember to be thankful for my good mind and to be helpful to those whose memory was a thing of the past.

My head was aching.  My stomach was growling and I did not know if I could make it 30 more minutes when I could go home and regroup for the next day at work, answering the same questions over and over, and helping previously sweet people calm down after outbursts of anger.

Hazel came to me and asked me where her room was.  I told her for the 13th time.  As I walked this 81-year-old former church piano player to her room, she asked me if I wanted to hear a song she used to sing in church when she was a child.

I liked Hazel.  She was kind hearted, loved her family, and tried her best to help other residents when she could.  Her face seemed so eager, so hopeful that I wanted to hear her sing, so even in my most weary of moods, I agreed.

With a clearing of her throat, she began to sing in a beautiful soprano voice the old hymn "In the Garden." She held my hand and gently stroked my hair as she sang, word for word.  Her pitch was perfect.  Her memory of all three stanzas was far better than mine.  And her face glowed as she relived the hymn softly and with passion.

I could feel my pulse slow down, my headache disappear, and my frustrations evaporate.  I was in the garden with Hazel.  We were at peace seeing our Lord, knowing that no matter how old we may be, God remembers our name and remembers our voices.  God remembers our heartbreaks and walks with us through the journeys of life that have many turns and potholes.

Hazel finished her song and I clapped.  She took a bow, smiled at me, and told me how thankful she was for her Lord Jesus.

Then she asked me where she was, as this was not a familiar place.

I told her she was in a hospital and I was walking her to her room.

Hazel nodded and as we walked to her room, she looked at me and told me how hard it was to keep forgetting things.  "But, my dear," she said, "I hope I never forget that God is with me in the garden, even when the flowers are wilting."

A few minutes later we walked into her room and I hugged her good-bye.  She did not remember my name or who I was.  But as I left, I heard her humming her song of peace, a song of the Christ who walks with her, talks with her, and tells her she is His own.

And there you have Malinda's article for today which I hope was an inspiration for you.

And now may the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob just keep us safe, individually and collectively, in these last days in which we live.  Lord willing, tomorrow there will be another Daily Thought message for you.  Your Christian friend and brother, Paul