Yesterday, I took a meal to an elderly woman at our church. She attends sporadically as she is almost completely deaf and has a myriad of health problems. I truly feel bad for her simply because...if there is something that can go wrong physically...it does! But I mean, odd, unusual problems. Anyway, I knew what I was getting myself into because I've taken meals to her before. The last time I was at her home, she immediately showed me the tooth she had just had extracted at the dentist office...it was in a baggie...on her table! AND, we're talking the WHOLE tooth...you know, even the part that is below the gumline! I also heard all about her latest surgery, in great detail, and all the Dr. discovered during the surgery. (Gag...)

Sooo, yesterday, I gathered together my courage and some food and went to deliver it with the intention of visiting for awhile as she is so lonely and really likes the company more than the warm meal. I hadn't been there more than five minutes when she showed me the incision on her back where the Dr. inserted the batteries for the back stimulator she had implanted. (What?) Did I mention that it isn't healing correctly and is still open and oozing? (Double gag...) So, since her back was turned while she was displaying this to me...I quickly looked through squinted eyes and then began to desperately search for a spoon to prepare a plate of food for her to eat while we visited. (So good at this point that I hadn't planned to eat with her.) I finally convinced her to sit down and eat and for the next hour I listened to her talk about just about anything you can think of that leaves you wondering how to respond. But, she didn't mind...I think all I was supposed to do was listen anyway. I tried to give her some words of encouragement too. And, as I sat there I tried not to think about everything I could or should be doing at home...because someday, if I live that long, I will be old. I may get lonely and may deal with health problems and I'll probably wish for someone to come and "sit a spell" with me.

Please know that I'm not tooting my own horn...I'm no hero...just willing to take food to someone who couldn't prepare it on their own. What I am doing is encouraging you to look around and find someone who could use "some lovin'" as Gracie would say. I wasn't looking for an opportunity...but if we take that step of willingness, we may be surprised at what opportunities we'll find!