Monday, October 23, 2006

For the 1st time

I shook the hand of a person who was older than 100 years. This young lady was born in 1906! It blew my mind. Oh, the changes she's seen in those 100 years. My guess is that the technological advances in this past 100 years is far greater than the previous 100. Shoot, I'm 30 (almost) and I've seen some crazy stuff already...

Admittedly, I'm usually akward around elderly folks. Yesterday was no different. I feel like they can see through my handshakes and smiles revealing a person who is pretty uncomfortable. They probably can't, but I feel like they can.

The 4th Sunday of every other month, St. Mark's is slated to provide worship for the folks at the Heritage nursing center. In a pinch, I volunteered to help our music minister. Our normal group wasn't able to make it and it fell to him. Actually, there's a group of high schoolers that do it normally, so I felt like I should pitch in.

There is a song in their song books there. It's one of my favorites. After yesterday, it means a little more. It's called Brighten the Corner Where You Are. To talk and sing and share with folks who are shells of who they once were is a powerful thing. To hear them singing 'brighten the corner where you are,' knowing that even though they were 80, 90, or even 100 years old, stamped into my brain that Jesus was still important to them and that God still had a job for them.

It's one of the things I love about ministry...

...you pour yourself out, thinking you're doing something for someone, and it turns out that God touches you...