Clearly God knew what He was doing when He sent me that little boy this morning.
This evening featured my monthly session at the local care home where most of the residents have kind of lost track of who they are, and most other things too. I thought it was going really well. We sang a hymn, heard a reading, prayed a bit, I wittered about Lent, we prayed and sang some more,= including Amazing Grace...three times...by request.
Finally, after another prayer or two I suggested we close with the Grace, which we did.
In the silence afterwards a voice from the corner piped up
"So, are we having a service tonight then?"
2 comments:
Reminds me of the many times our handbell choir played Christmas concerts in retirement communities. The residents varied from the totally cogent to far gone Alzheimer's. One particular incident that stands out in my memory was almost twenty years ago. The bell choir had played the first tune, and were setting up for the second. An elderly lady in the front row stood up and wailed really loud), "Oh my God! They're going to play again!"
Attendants took her back to her room right away.
I think that was also the concert where, in the middle of Silent Night, the ice maker (we were in the cafeteria) dumped a newly frozen batch of ice into the hopper. Kind of ruined the moment.
In the face of Dave's searing honesty, I feel compelled to share that the last time I did a service here, as I began one lady (whom they assured me afterwards meant nothing personal...) got to her feet, clapped her hand to her forehead and cried out
"I'd rather be dead than here."
After that, I was assured, things could only get better. Hmmnnn
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