I have been wanting to share this with you for the last week or so - bear with me - this may be a wordy post...
As you know, I am now working as a Nursing Aide again - doing what I love, working with the Elderly. I hope to continue working with the elderly population once I BECOME a nurse , because I love these special people so much. I get WAY more out of working for them then I feel I give TO them!
I was privileged this week to work with a very special lady. I will carry her in my heart for a great while because she left me with a huge message that I want to share with you. A message I will not soon forget!
I was setting up breakfast trays, when I approached a bed in a darkened room. There was a small woman lying in her bed - surrounded by pillows which were propped all around her. As I moved them so that she could be turned, I was touched by how tiny and frail she was. She was so thin and as I moved the pillows I became more and more aware of how fragile her life really was. I sat her up in bed to help her eat. She was so weak that I had to hold the straw up to her lips so that she could drink from it. I held my breath as she sipped from the straw - hoping that the liquid would make it to her parched lips.
She tried to talk to me but couldn't quite mouth the words yet. She didn't need to though because her eyes spoke volumes - her soul seemed to jump out at me through her beautiful eyes! I was spellbound and couldn't take my eyes away from hers as she tried desperately to speak. I leaned closer to try to hear her. I asked her if she was comfortable and she blinked. I had the overpowering urge right then to pray for her! Around her neck she wore a beautiful cross. I asked her if it would be alright if I prayed for her and her eyes welled up with tears. She asked me if I could do it right away with her. Even though my time was very limited, I had SO much to do - I knew that the Lord wanted me to take the time needed to give this dear woman comfort. So we prayed -together! I pressed my forehead against hers and we prayed. I kissed her forehead and as I raised myself up, I saw huge tears well up in her eyes and she mouthed the words - "Thank you..."
I felt very inadequate at praying, but I knew that God wanted me to do this for her - that it was important at this very moment to this dear woman. She whispered to me that she missed her parents. I told her that she would see them again - that ALL of the things she was going through right now were just momentary - but that she would be greeting her beloved family one day soon on the other side - in Heaven! Her beautiful eyes brightened and tears streamed down her face. All of a sudden the light faded and her eyes changed. She looked so forlorn and lost! I asked her what was wrong and she began to tell me about her brother. She told me that she wasn't sure if he was in Heaven right now. She told me that she missed him so much! She told me that he hadn't walked with God while here on earth and the pain that I saw in this dear woman's face is what I can't get out of my thoughts today! All I could do for her was hold her hand and let her cry out her pain and sorrow for her beloved brother. ...
Today I am thinking of MY life and all of the people whom I care about who are not walking with the Lord. I think of my children who are far from Him! Time is so short for ALL of us here on this earth! How much time has already gone by in my life and how fast my children have grown and are now walking the paths of THEIR lives with their new families. Many of them are apathetic when it comes to the Lord - they BELIEVE in God, but don't live their lives for Him - Is it enough? Or do God's words about being lukewarm apply to such as these?
16"So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.
17You say, 'I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.' But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked.
18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.
19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.
20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.
22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."
Revelation 3:16-21
I fear for the time that we all have left for none of us know the time or day in which the Lord will take us. I need to do all that I possible can - with the time that I have left to PRAY and pray without ceasing - as I have been called to do for the ones I love - while I still HAVE the time to pray!
I am reminded of the story of the mother of John Newton who prayed for her son for only seven short years before the Lord took her home. BUT SHE USED HER TIME TO PRAY! John floundered for a time after his mothers death but came back to the Lord later in his life and went on to write the famous Hymn - "Amazing Grace." If interested, you can read about his amazing life and his struggle to find his way back to the Lord, here. It is a long read, but VERY inspiring!
Prayer has always been my weakest point. I tend to procrastinate when I try to pray. Do you? I become so overwhelmed for all that I must pray about - that I give up! I need to remember God's words that EVEN though I may stumble with what to say - God can hear my grumblings and if I am faithful - even if it is just mouthing the person's name that I am praying for - God will hear the longings of my heart.
Lord, please help me to be faithful to the call to pray without ceasing - and let it start today so that I will have no regrets tomorrow!
7"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
2 Chronicles 7:14
Blessings to you,
The outdoor colors are only just beginning to turn on the trees but I am feeling the need to decorate my house for Fall. One of my favorite times of the year for decorating~!
This little vignette sits atop a table in our entry way. ALL items were thrift store finds. I filled the glass candle holder with black and northern beans to add some color (an idea I learned from a crafty blogger friend) and stuck a candle inside. 
