To Give Or Not To Give?

"Looking Back" is a feature in which I choose a previous blog which I have written, rewrite it and share it once again.  This one was first posted in 2013.   

         On Sunday, following morning worship, we made our traditional trip to Wendy's for lunch.  As we entered the store, I noticed a rather heavy, black young lady sitting by herself at one of the front tables.  I assumed that she was waiting for somebody to come and eat with her.  
          When we received our order, we passed by her on the way to our table and, while she glanced at us, we really didn't think more about it at the time.  Then I discovered that the clerk had given me the wrong drink, which was the third straight order she had messed up.  So, I went back to the counter to get the correct drink.  

         On the way back to my table the young lady quietly asked me if I could buy her something to eat.  She was so quiet that I had to ask her to repeat her question.  Now I am not in the habit of giving things to folks who are begging and so I replied as I normally do, with a no.  

         When I returned to my table, we noticed that every once in awhile she glanced back at us.  And she also didn't stop and ask anybody else who passed by.  We couldn't help but wonder why we would be the only ones that she asked.  Then the thought struck me that we were wearing our Awana uniforms that morning.  Because Awana starts this week, all the Awana leaders were asked to wear their uniforms that day. 
          Now we have often met former clubbers who have recognized us. Even just last week we had a clerk, a former clubber, who recognized our association with Awana because of our shopping bags.  So now I am wondering if she was a former clubber who recognized us or if she just recognized our uniforms.  Or, maybe the Lord just put us there to help her out. 

         The change from our meal was $3.00 so I began to feel the urge to at least give her that.  She could certainly choose a couple items off their value menu for that amount.  After some hesitation, I went to her and gave her the money and she thanked me.  
          Then we watched to see what she would do with it.  Twice she went up to order, but both times she went to the wrong end of the counter.  It looked like she didn't know what to do.  Then she finally realized that she had to get in the line and she did that.  But every time she neared the front, she let somebody behind her go ahead.  We didn't know if she couldn't figure out what she could get for $3 or if she could even read.  I realize now that I should have just gone and purchased something for her.  
          We were actually done with our meal when she finally made a purchase - a large waffle ice cream cone.  Then she left and the last we saw of her she was walking across the parking lot.

         Was she in need?  I really don't know.  However, I have recently read accounts of the many homeless, including teens, in the Lancaster area and I have never done anything for them. It is so sad. Did I do it because she might have recognized us or Awana?  I'm really not sure.  But what difference should that have made?  If we are Christians then our actions should identify us, not our clothing.   
         Should I have handled things differently or better?  Probably, but it is always easy to be a "Monday morning quarterback".  However, the scripture from Hebrews 13:1,2 (The Message) has been going through my mind.  "Be ready with a meal or a bed when it's needed. Why, some have extended hospitality to angels without ever knowing it!" 

          Now, was she an angel?  I really doubt it.  But today I am glad that I at least gave her something, even if it was just an ice cream cone.

Seminar

A group of women were at a seminar on how to live in a loving relationship with their husbands. The women were asked, "How many of you love your husband?" All the women raised their hands.

Then they were asked, "When was the last time you told your husband you loved him?" Some women answered today, a few yesterday, and some couldn't remember. The women were then told to take out their cell phones and text their husband: "I love you, sweetheart."

Next the women were instructed to exchange phones with another woman and read aloud the text message they received in response to their message.

Below are hilarious 12 replies. If you have been married for quite a while, you understand that these replies are a sign of true love... Who else would reply in such a succinct and honest way?

1. Who is this?

2. Eh, mother of my children, are you sick or what?

3. Yeah, and I love you too. What's wrong?

4. What now? Did you wreck the car again?

5. I don't understand what you mean?

6. What did you do now?

8. Don't beat about the bush, just tell me how much you need?

9. Am I dreaming?

10. If you don't tell me who this message is actually for, someone will die.

11. I thought we agreed you wouldn't drink during the day.

12. Your mother is coming to stay with us, isn't she?

Kinda tugs at the heart, doesn't it?!

Growing Old

  "If you want to know how old a woman is, ask her sister-in-law."  (Eva Gabor)

 

"Old age comes at a bad time." (Ed Sullivan)

 

"Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened."  (Stevie Wonder)

 

"Old age is like a plane flying through a storm.  Once you are aboard, there is nothing you can do about it."  (Golda Meir)

 

"The older I get, the more clearly I remember things that never happened.  (Mark Twain)

 

"I'm at that age where my back goes out more than I do."  (Phyllis Diller)

 

"Nice to be here?  At my age, it's nice to be anywhere."  (George Burns)

 

"First you forget names, then you forget faces, then you forget to pull your zipper up; then, you forget to pull your zipper down."  (Rob Reiner)

 

"You spend 90 percent of your adult life hoping for a long rest and the last 10 percent trying to convince the Lord that you're actually not THAT tired."  (Princess Grace) 

 

"Old people shouldn't eat Health foods.  They need all the preservatives they can get."  (Bob Hope)

 

"At my age, flowers scare me."  (George Burns)

 

"It's like you trade the virility of the body for the agility of the spirit."  (Ed Sullivan)

 

"The years between 55 and 75 are the hardest.  You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down."  (T.S Elliot)

 

 "At age 20, we worry about what others think of us… at age 40, we don't care what they think of us… at age 60, we discover they haven't been thinking of us at all."  (Ann Landers) 

 

"When I was young, I was called a rugged individualist.  When I was in my fifties, I was considered eccentric.  Here I am doing and saying the same things I did then, and I'm labeled senile."  (Milton Berle) 

 

"The important thing to remember is that I'm probably going to forget."  (Martin Scorsese)

 

"We don't grow older, we grow riper."  (Pablo Picasso)

 

"It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."  (Andy Rooney)

 

"The older I get, the better I used to be."  (Lee Trevino)

 

"I was thinking about how people seem to read the Bible a lot more as they get older, and then it dawned on me — they're cramming for their final exam."  (George Carlin) 

 

"Everything seems to slow down with age, except the time it takes cake and ice cream to reach your hips."  (Elizabeth Taylor)

 

"When your friends begin to flatter you on how young you look, it's a sure sign you're getting old."  (Mark Twain)

 

"You know you are getting old when everything either dries up or leaks."  (Dennis Quaid)

 

"There's one advantage to being 102, there's no peer pressure."  (Adam & Eve)

 

"There are three stages in man's Life: he believes in Santa Claus, he does not believe in Santa Claus, he is Santa Claus."  (Leon Phillips)

 

"Looking fifty is great — if you're sixty."  (Joan Rivers)

 

"Time may be a great Healer, but it's a lousy Beautician."   (Zsa Zsa Gabor)

More prayers to be answered

          And the story continues.  My wife had her surgery and all appeared to go well.  But she developed pain in her lower back which is worse than her pain from her new knee.

          Unfortunately, the medical group at the rehab didn't know what was causing the pain or how to treat it.  Their only recommendation was to go to a doctor who had worked on her back years previously.  But it would take several months to get an appointment with him and then we would need to travel about 40 miles to be seen.  That was not a realistic option when she was in so much pain.  Pain pills and a medical rub helped some.

          Then on Wednesday a committee reviewed her situation.  Their decision was because her physical therapy was going so well, they could only keep her until Monday.  The back pain would not qualify for a longer stay.  We were told this an hour after we had been told  by the doctor that they could extend her stay for the rest of the week.  Because of Medicare's rules they had to reverse what we were told.

          In addition, without asking us, they moved her meeting with her surgeon from Tuesday back to Monday.  We had already made plans for my transportation to the doctor visit. Those plans now had to be scrapped and we did not have an alternate plan.

          So, we bargained and argued with the doctor and staff.  And once again we joined several of our friends in praying for a reversal.  And yesterday it was finally granted.

          So, the current plan is to take Dianne to see her surgeon on Monday.  Then she will return to rehab and be "kicked out" on Wednesday.  Then we pray that I can take care of her at home and that somehow her pain goes away.

          Impossible?  Yes, for me, but not for God!

God Still Answers - In His time

          It has been a challenging week and God has been very busy.  He has once again taken care of many challenges for us.
          This was the week that Dianne was scheduled for knee replacement surgery.  Because of her heart problems she had many heart hoops to get through.  PTL, she was able to get through all of them and surgery went off as scheduled.
          However the operating rooms ran into computer problems and her surgery was delayed over two hours while they changed her operating room.  But the change was made and eventually the surgery went on and was successful.

          Then we were concerned about how I would make out at the hospital, getting around while using a wheelchair.  Then two of my sons stepped up and stayed with me both days.  They were a great help in so many ways.  I thank the Lord for them and His continued answers to our prayers.

          But there was another major obstacle.  It was obvious that I needed help to care for her and it seemed to be against current Medicare rules.  We seemed io be out of ideas.  They were getting ready to release her to my care at home.  Then suddenly they found a great location with an opening and Medicare's approval.  And within a few hours she was transported to the Lancaster Rehabilitation Center where she can be cared for up to 10 or 15 days if needed.  That was a genuine answer to prayer.

         Now she is having some nasty reactions to the drugs she is being given for pain.  That is probably expected but God knows all about it.  One by one He is answering our prayers.  I still have some transportation problems buy I know that in His time He will deal with those.  In fact while writing this, my need for the next two days has been resolved. God is so good – all the time!

          Thank you for your prayers – they still work.It has been a challenging week and God has been very busy.  He has once again taken care of many challenges for us.