Parson to Person - July
Dear Friends,
I have loved my life lived near the heart of the Church. Never more so than at Armstrong Chapel. Our daily lives are noble teachers when we are attentive. All of the following happened to me on a bright summer day not long ago on a visit to one of the fine hospitals in our city.
The beautiful lady I was calling upon was suffering from short term memory loss. While I was with her, she kept repeating that she had something she wanted to tell me but just couldn’t remember what it was. When it was time to go, I asked her if I might have a prayer and she answered and I did. After the prayer, she said to me with a smile and bright eyes, “While you were praying, I remembered what I had wanted to say. What I wanted to say was ‘please help me’ and your prayer did.” Leaving, I thought to myself, what a perfect request of our Heavenly Father, “Please help me!” It is always an appropriate prayer.
When I got to the exit door of the locked unit, I realized I was a long way down the hall from the nurses’ desk and that I couldn’t get off the floor without them pushing the buzzer to release me. Just then, from the other side, a lovely nurse opened the door and eyed me with a modicum of suspicion. “Can you let me out?” I asked. “Well, I guess I can,” she replied, with a wry smile. I have been in lots of closed places over the years where it took someone from the outside to set me free. At times it has been Jesus. Other times a friend. Even at times a stranger. While I would like to be always adequate for every occasion, it just doesn’t happen that way.
The third learning occurrence that hour was when I entered the elevator on my way back to my car in the parking garage. There was a doctor already on the lift. He could be identified by his badge, his coat and his stethoscope. I guessed him to be Indian and he was supported by a cane in his right hand. I must have entered with a good stride because he smiled and stated, “It is a good thing to be able to walk!” It IS a good thing to be able to walk! Even when your hips grind and your knees ache. I thought about all the good people I know who aren’t graced with the mobility I often take for granted. As I drove away that morning, I realized anew how many more gifts I had received in a short span of time than I had given.
Thanks for spending the time to read this. I hope you found it as helpful to read as I did to write.
Love, hope and prayers,
Stanley Lawrence