Being blessed by others - Part 2

Continuation of yesterday’s blog …

She was one of 35plus shut-ins that fell within my responsibility as the associate pastor. In my regular monthly visits I learned that she was in constant pain. She had been one of the earliest recipients of radiation and unfortunately, the flesh in her lower back had literally been fried to the point that it had to be cut away. Everything that she wore was caught by the bones of her spine. The pain was so bad that she could lay down, sit up or stand for only 15 to 20 minutes a time … and yet, what a spirit! She was admitted to St. Anthony’s hospital. I was making my hospital visits. When I entered her room it was filled with nuns, two priests, numerous doctors and nurses. I thought that I had walked into a death situation when a nun quickly shared, “Oh, no pastor, when we hear that this dear soul is back in the hospital we just want to come in and simply be in her presence. She is just a true blessing.”

Then there is Randy and Cynthia who co-founded the Helping Hands Clinic for the Homeless. They were nominated to receive recognition for their unselfish volunteer ministry through President Bush’s “Thousand Points of Light” program. It was my privilege to unite them in marriage and to work beside them at the clinic on Monday evenings along side two of their children. What a real blessing.

My family and I were blessed, in the same church, by being exposed to J.J. – he simply saw life from a total different perspective. He was always looking for a funny take on a situation. He was always watching my back and was deeply appreciate. His wife, Jo, was constantly exposing me to new and different reading material.

And then there was Mrs. St. Johns who took in a young preacher and his family with two very young children on moving day because the parsonage was being tented for termites.

Or, Mr. Hazelton who kept us in fresh fish during those two years in that parish.

There were two cantankerous older gentlemen, who I didn’t always appreciate at the time, but later came to see as a blessing. Harvey could make statements during church board meetings that would make anyone literally stop and say, “What?” or he would be shaking my hand after worship and drop one of his pithy statements that would make you wonder if he had really heard the sermon. Roland, on the other hand, simply would ask some of the most difficult questions during Wednesday night Bible Study. They were the type of questions that were more of a challenge to the preacher than seeking direction or information. Both of these gentlemen played the game of “Keeping Them Honest.”

And then there is Sam … a man with more bark than bite. I love him like a brother, but we sure do not agree when it comes to political matters.

When talking about being blessed by people there are those who are simply at the head of the list. Nanny Pearl and Grandpa Tom along with Buck and Sunny are angels in disguise. God brought them into our lives at a crucial and painful time – during the illness and death of our son. Words truly fail me in expressing just how much they have blessed our lives. They went well beyond the call of friendship and became a part of our extended family. We couldn’t have made it without them.

I could write a year’s worth of daily blogs about all the unique and various people God has placed in our lives … some for just a season, others for a lifetime. God continues to bless us with all sorts of people and for that I am eternally thankful. It gets kind of interesting to be looking around the next corner to see who he is bringing into our life next.

Thank you God for populating my world with a wide range of people! I pray that I can return the favor by being a blessing for them. Amen.

Quote for today: “People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.” Robert Merrill and Jule Styne