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

[Rob Kaiser]

I have sung the hymn IN THE GARDEN many times over the years. ***sometimes 
for a musical program and most often, for a funeral or memorial service. It 
is a beautiful hymn.

I was glad when they put it in the methodist hymnal that came out in 1991.



-----Original Message----- 
From: Paul
Sent: Tuesday, April 1, 2014 9:59 AM
To: Gordon Dykes
Subject: [Faith-talk] Daily Thought for Tuesday, April 1 2014

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
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