Our home school group has a Christmas party every year. Part of the party is spent making cards and going to the nursing home to sing carols to the residents. This is the first year we participated.
I have to preface this by saying that I have a heart for ministering in nursing homes. I could never be so bold as to say that I could be a nurse or anything in that manner, but to bring a smile to a face cheers my heart beyond words. My hearts desire is to pass that compassion on to my children.
Like all parents with young children, I went through the list of what I expected of my dear ones. I was not going to expect too much of them, because it was only the second time for my boys. My daughters have visited nursing homes more often, so they new a little bit more what to expect (I have some really funny stories I will share some time).
I guess I needed to prepare myself a bit for what to expect. You know how you work something out in your mind how a situation will look? You plan it and have this great picture of what it will be? Okay, I did not expect what happened. The group sang some beautiful songs and really did a nice job. We then broke up to give cards to the residents who were there. I started looking around at my children and the emotion that I felt was almost overwhelming.
Mind you, I see how grateful the residents are when I touch their hand and I gently hug them. I can take that, but the look on their faces as they receive a hug from one of my children was almost more than I could take. At one point, I had to look away. The last thing we needed at that moment was a blubbering mother! I immediately prayed, "Lord, help me pull this together!" Only through Him could I continue.
There is nothing on this earth more beautiful than to see your child show love and kindness to an elderly person they do not know. I encourage you, if you have never taken the opportunity to visit a nursing home, do not wait any longer.
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Dec. 11, 2007 - Untitled Comment
See you Thursday!