Mood:  happy

As someone who's active in the community sometimes its hard for me when a member of my family is going through a hard time, and all I can do is "be there" for them. After all I know people, and stuff. But when I feel this way I forget how important it can be to be there when somebody you care about is having a rough time.

One it helps to know you're not alone. Often it helps just to have someone to listen to you, or even momentarily distract you. My wife will be going through a bad day, and I'll make here laugh. Then at least fr the moment things get a little better.

 But even mor ethan all of this. Its important for us as Christians to remember that God sent us to each other, to serve each other in his name. We are his proxies, his agents here on earth. People know God is with them, because they see him in us. One of the best things anybody ever said about me was a time when I was in an ambulance while we were transporting my mother-in-law from one hospital to the next one. At the end of the trip she said" I was ok, I knew God was watching me because Robert was sitting there." God will impact people around you, through you if you will let him.

JUST be there for them ? No such thing sometimes that is the most important thing of all !

Mood:  energetic

Many years ago I attended a church and we had a member there we'll call Sister F. When I began attending there Sister F was already very sick, in fact she was already dying. But her example was so compelling that I will never forget her.

Her grown son and I were in the Men's Bible Study together. In the few minutes between when our bible study let out and the main service he would drive the short distance home. He would bring his mother to the church in his truck. A couple of the men would help him carry her into the church, and lay her on her pew.

You see Sister F was so sick she could not even sit up ! Even so there was no talk of Sister F not going to church. She wouldn't hear of it ! As far as she was concerned if she was breathing, she was going to church.They would prop her up on pillows that were always on her pew. Out of respect for her no one there would ever mess with Sister F's pillows, so there was never any need to move them.

Sister F would lay there proped up against her pillows through the whole service. She would clap, and sing, and praise the Lord as loud as she could shout ! It was always a joy to be in church with Sister F. When she went home to be with the Lord, she went with a smile on her face.

Sister F was dying, she couldn't even sit up. Her faith was a force that neither she or the people around her could resist. Whenever we thought we had a good excuse for missing church, we knew we would have to explain it to Sister F !

 But Siter F's faith was not a Sunday only faith. Here was a woman who had to be carried from place to place. Too frail even for a wheelchair. Yet her personal example was a powerful ministry. It wasn't just that she made it to church despite the obvious obstacles that inspired. It was also the joy and energy that dying old woman put into loving Christ. It continuing even to the happiness with which she died.

I'm glad I remember Sister F. I am still learning from her example of faith, and to be honest still working to match it.