With thee is the fountain of life; in thy light do we see light. Psalms 36:9

"Carol, I need you to go help out on Station 2," the nursing supervisor said. 
I had just sent my only patient, 7 year old Sally sufficiently recovered from her asthma attack, home. 
Station 2 was a general medical/surgical unit with big people rather than my usual infants, children, and teens.  I didn't mind going to help, although I was hoping I would not have an assignment of patients.
"Whew! Glad you're here!" Chris, the evening charge nurse exclaimed.  "207 is driving us all nuts.  He's confused, belligerent, and destined to fall."
"OK, " I said and did a quick perusal of his chart--Samuel Roberts, 87 years old, Congestive Heart Failure.
"You have to stay in bed; you're in the hospital, " the nursing assistant was saying sternly to the old man when I entered the room. 
"Hi, Ellen, I can stay with him now."
"Thanks, I haven't taken any of my 8pm vitals yet.  Have fun!"  she said with a wry smile, hastening off to complete her many tasks.
The old man was stretched out in the hospital bed with one of his long legs trying to find the spaces in the side rails, attempting to escape.
 "Hey, there!  Where are you going?" I asked our captive. 
"I've got to get home to Elsie," he replied in a surprisingly clear and strong voice.  
 Realizing the continued attempts of reorientation had failed, and that I was set to be here for awhile, I tried a new tactic; distraction.  
"Mr. Roberts, what happened to your toes?"  With his big, puffy feet battling with the rails it was easy to see he was missing several toes on each foot.  I pulled up a chair beside him and took hold of his hand, partly to keep him from picking at his IV line and partly to provide a human touch.
"Frostbite in the war," he said without missing a beat. And just that quickly the history lesson began.  Prompted by questions, Mr. Roberts began to tell me about his life. His parents died in the influenza pandemic of 1918; he was raised by an aunt and uncle.  He ate pigs' brains and other animal parts during the Great Depression that certainly have never crossed my palate. He had been drafted in WWII. He and Elsie never had children...The evening passed quickly, and I wish I had taken notes because the details are now fuzzy.  
When I entered room 207, Mr. Roberts was a number and a label. When I left at 11pm that night, a transformation had occurred within me as divine light enveloped that room.   In my world of nursing, it was really easy to be conformed by expectations in the "to do" list and not truly see people even though it is the caring of humankind that draws many of us to nursing in the first place.  Today in your encounters, take a second look at people and see them as the masterpieces of the Creator.
"Do not be conformed to this world,^* but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.^*   Romans 12:2 
At times it seems transformation is something too lofty to attain; perhaps it is as simple as truly seeing.


View From the Grove

 This week Brother Mick will be sharing from Romans 12 albeit a different direction than I took you.  This is a passage with much to chew on-- certainly not baby food! The title of the message is "Reasonable Worship," and we'll be contemplating how our powers of reason tie in with worship.  Worship will be down in the grove beginning at 9:30am;  ahh, I love the outside service, but, alas!,  I won't be there!  We'll be heading to Harrisonburg where the daughters will check into their college dorms and begin soccer preseason training. 
Sarah and Laura have also headed to their colleges, and Travis, Dustin, and Brandon will be close behind.


Check out the progress on enclosing the Upstairs Room! :) 
Mennonite Disaster Service will soon be announcing the project locations for this fall.  Stay tuned to find out the where and when.  Perhaps you can be a part of a team rebuilding homes and hope. http://mds.mennonite.net/
The "Ingathering" for August is paper supplies for The Factory Ministries.


My prayer for you today:  Creator God, you are the fountain of life; in your light do we see light.  Thank you for your presence with us; never do you leave us or forsake us.  Transform us to your likeness that your will would be done, here on earth as it is in heaven.  Come Kingdom of God.  Be done will of God, on earth as it is in heaven.  In Jesus name.   AMEN


Without question or doubt, you are loved by God, and I love you too! 
Love and Light,
carol
http://www.ridgeviewmennonite.net/

 *Names and identifying details have been changed.

"Always remember who you are, whose you are, where you are going, and what you believe, because it does make a difference!  Oh, and don't forget to attend a church of your choice this weekend. " JD