‘’ Continue With Your Heart’’

Scripture Text:  ‘’God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord’’. (1 Corinthians 1:9 KJV)

When my hours at my work place change three years ago, it hindered my attending midweek services at my church. Even since the first time I started serving the Lord at the young age of twelve, I have been faithful to the house of God. The definition for faithful is: steadfast in affection or allegiance (Merriam Webster). I never missed church. There were times my family went on vacation without me because my desire was and still is being involved in the ministry.  It’s a desire you just can’t wipe off.  Many months passed and I knew that the Lord would open a door for me. Like so many times before, when I was sincere and asked the Lord to use me, the door of opportunity opened. He has opened so many doors in the past. Many countless hours were spent studying for Bible lessons on my lunch hour. There were five hungry souls that wanted to learn more about the Lord. I spent many hours at the K&W Cafeteria encouraging a friend whose marriage was rocky. She was turning to me for help. This became a Monday night ritual. I never took those Bible studies for granted or encouraging a friend to stay with her husband and stay in the church. On the night of January 10, 2005, I was busy working, working on a particular area. My close friend, Sandra, came to running to me, very upset, crying, and asked me to pray for her mother, who later determined after a lot of testing to have had a stroke on that particular night. For many months my friend's mother wasn’t improving much at all; she was actually getting worse in her condition. This made my heart ache for Sandra, her Dad, and all her siblings. This made me more aware of Sandra’s burden, knowing how much my Momma means to me; my heart was full of compassion praying for this lady whom I never met before ever. I felt the Lord tug at this heart of mine. I asked her if I could maybe go visit her. This would give me something to do for the Lord. She told me her name and I told her I would pray when the Lord told me what day to go and visit with her. I went every week to visit her, each Thursday morning till work time. She was not able to feed her self. Her good hand shook so bad that she couldn’t feed herself. The other hand was crippled up and trying to get a CNA to feed her was impossible. I never asked to help her, I just acted on what I know to do, which is to help others when the need arises. Many times I made sure she ate breakfast and lunch. The restrictions with the foods that were prepared for her were unflavored and nasty. On my way to visit my new found friend, I would go by Hardees, and grab a gravy biscuit or two for her, or Shoney’s potato soup, and good coffee and take it to her. The coffee that was on her tray was instant coffee. She is home now. I go each Saturday and sometimes Sunday to visit with her. We are a team. We go to the mall, watch movies, sit on the swing for hours, and have lunch together. She is one of my elderly friends I go visit each week. I also write them little notes, and send it to the mail and call them on the phone sometimes. I tell them, jokingly, that everyone needs ‘’a good note each week instead of just bills.’’ My commitment is just as strong as it was back then to visit the elderly at the Carrington Nursing home facility in Wytheville, Virginia; this is where my elderly friend was at for several months of her life. I would see those elderly people and it would make me sad that no family would come see them. One of my elderly friends died in March of 2006. Her name was Mrs. Morgan. She was on Hospice care, she did suffer her every breath.

I brought her foods she asked for, some bright colorful flowers, some kind of bright balloon, or some kind of chocolate. She loved chocolate, she wasn’t able to eat much but when I opened her Hershey wrapper, she immediately asked for her chocolate. I would break-off tiny pieces, and feed it to her during last few weeks she was alive. The Hospice nurses and the Hospice CNA, told me that Mrs. Morgan asked for me, and if it wasn’t the day I would be coming too visited with her, and many others, She would cry for me. When I came in her room she would want me next to her, so I would come as close as I could. She was hooked up with all kinds of monitors, and IV’S, and oxygen. When the Hospice nurses were working with her, I would move to step out of the way, as I didn’t want to be in the way of Mrs. Morgan’s vital care she was in need of so badly. One of the Hospice head nurses, Cindy, asked me to stay with her. I told her I am not her family, but, she said Mrs. Morgan always wants me next to her while we are working with her. She was so scared, and in a lot of pain. I would hold her crippled hand as they worked on her. She had one son but he didn't come around her much at all. It made me more determined to not miss a week for to visit her for anything. She told me one day, “Lenny I wish I could have known you longer. As you know I am heading out of this life soon.  I want you to know that I love you,” and I said, ’’I love you too Mrs. Morgan.”

On the afternoon of May 28, 2006, through some friends of mine, I became acquainted with an elderly lady, which became a friend of mine. Mrs. Margaret Blankenship was suffering with cancer at the Hospice care. Each Wednesday morning before work-time I made a commitment to visit with her. I just knew her for a few months but our friendship was a close one I will always treasure.

In the past four years the Lord has done so many great and wonderful things for me. Some of us have elderly parents, grandparents, or even a neighbor, or elderly saints at our local assemblies. Speak softly, be kinder than necessary, and smile at them, because elderly people are neglected so much in this day and time.  Keep in mind we all can learn more elderly person than a younger person. Stay StrongJ