One day, 1985, Maxine came to me with an opportunity. Maxine was a faithful member of our little church, one of our senior women – fiery red hair & fervent love for Lord & family. I was not yet in ministry, but I loved to study and teach the Bible. Joanie and I were completely plugged-in to our church's ministry and sense of family. "Would Joanie & I be interested in her weekly nursing home ministry at Shawn Manor – music and Bible teaching and visiting?" How could I say no? We went… We spent almost every Friday night, for the next 16 years, at Shawn Manor.Joanie played the piano (later our daughters Bethany and Sarah). I preached and sometimes led the music.
One of my first memories was Alice. Large. Alice hung over her old wooden wheel chair. She'd survived a stroke. She couldn't talk but she wasn't afraid to talk (Alice knew what was going on). She smiled all the time, and never missed one of our little Friday services. But Alice was distracting! In the middle of my lessons she'd look at me and smile, and push her dentures out of her mouth with her tongue! I learned to keep preaching! I learned a lot of other lessons at Shawn Manor… I learned that old saints still loved music. And fellowship. That they were very often lonely.I learned that growing old is difficult. I learned that everyone dies…
In Ecclesiastes, Solomon documents the pursuit of joy and meaning in a life lived to the max, under the sun. As the wise old king summarizes his findings, he urges this eternal lesson: Time is slipping away. Listen to your Creator, before it's too late.
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