As is typical of many rural churches, the demographics of the smallest churches in Western Maryland tend to be on the older end of the range for the regional population. Many of our active parishioners are in their 70s; some are even in their 80s and 90s. Many struggle to get to church, making painstaking steps with canes and walkers to their pews and to the various social functions within the churches. The list of shut-ins and nursing home residents is fairly long considering the size of the churches, so I spend much of my time visiting with still more parishioners in the hospital and in their homes, which may be assisted living and nursing home facilities. And through the pain and struggles that many endure, they always have a bright smile and thank you for the phone calls and visits that the parishioners and I have with them.
But it is the unexpected injuries and illnesses that I and my more mobile friends experience that help us more fully understand the daily lives of these ever-resilient, positive individuals whom I am graced to serve. I admit that I love my swift walks with friends and God to clear my head and allow me time to talk and listen. I enjoy my various dance classes in which I can “lose myself” and take my energy out in a full-body dance exercise routine.
I need those activities to decompress and spoil myself with something just for me. So it was a rather unpleasant surprise to find that my recent gardening efforts resulted in bug bites that developed into cellulitis. Cellulitis of my right calf to be more specific. After a mega shot and now taking the “horse pills” that I must take to wipe out the bacteria and infection, I am a bit restricted from my usual activities for the next 10 days. I hobble from a shot in one thigh and an infection in the other calf, reminding me of my three months of hobbling from an auto accident of 1984. But the reality is: the pain is minimal and it certainly tests my self-restraint from scratching the ever-itching places on my leg and now my wrist. Thus, I am blessed in so many ways.
I am blessed to learn how it is for my parishioners who wait for hours in the emergency room for treatment. I am blessed to better empathize with the parishioners for whom hobbling around with canes and walkers is a daily reality. I am blessed to learn how wonderful the people whom I serve are in caring for one another. I am blessed to discover how wonderful the medical professionals and staff in my local hospital truly are—pastoral and kind and immediately setting me at ease as I registered and waited. I am blessed to discover the mobility restrictions of my home that I might keep in mind as my husband and I consider how to better organize our house and any future changes. I am blessed to discover that God works in so many divine ways, allowing me to encounter the right person to encourage me to seek help rather than allow it to develop into something that might require more drastic treatment.
Oh my goodness. I am blessed in oh so many ways! And these blessings will inform me as I do my ministry of service and companionship as the vicar of two parishes and the missioner/ministry developer for eight. I pray that these lessons and these blessings will make me a better pastor, a better witness, a better listener, and a more compassionate soul. Not too much to pray for, right?
Theresa
