A Prayer Of Thanksgiving
A Prayer of Thanksgiving
This morning was no different than any other morning. As I normally do, Monday to Friday 7AM, I took Brenda her breakfast tray. As usual, she was anxiously waiting for me. Even though we have a fabulous relationship, the anxiety was not totally about me. You see Brenda loves food. When I arrive in the mornings, it is a red alert to Brenda that the first of her 6 meals a day is about to happen.
Brenda is my patient and I am her Home Health Aide and she loves to eat. Brenda counts the seconds until her next meal. She anticipates every meal every snack and every opportunity she can manipulate food she is not supposed to have from us. Brenda is a woman 66-years young and she suffers with diabetes, partial deafness, dementia, and total blindness.
As Brenda’s neighbor, I didn’t see much of her before I began to be her Aide. I only saw her going or returning from dialysis. I got the impression in those few second intervals that she was unkind. So much for my assumptions. I drew conclusion before knowing all the facts. I had no idea her frowns were evidence that Brenda was dying from the isolation of loneliness.
I was unaware of the pain and anguish this woman was going through. I knew she was blind, but I guess I can even go so far as to say I was ignorant. Brenda is blind, has diabetes, kidney failure, suffers with dementia, and is partially deaf. The truth of the matter is Brenda is totally vulnerable to every single solitary individual she will be ever come in contact with.
Peculiar thing though, when I think about Brenda’s vulnerability the truth of the matter is she is vulnerable to e everyone she interacts with. Brenda cannot defend herself against the things we can see. Even if she has a sense of danger she can’t even veer out of the way of danger to save her life. This is sobering moment.
Brenda’s vulnerability to my behavior suddenly made me
deeply convicted by what Jeremiah tells us in the 17th chapter and verse 9. The heart is deceitful above all things, and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” I was grieved to think that we don’t know what is in our hearts to do until we actually do it. This is true for me and everyone.
Once everyone leaves for work, Brenda is subject to what is in my heart; she is defenseless to protect herself against it. I could have been a totally different person than the one that I am. I could be someone who would take advantage of her; invading her privacy, violating her trust and home. This was a sobering but thankful moment of truth to me.
I am blessed that someone trust me to enter their home and give good care of their loved one. Lord let me enter this home to do everything within my power to make Brenda safe knowing that she is never alone. I realized that I have so many personal concerns, Lord, God but You know what we all have need of before we even think to ask.
Lord, please convict us that all our days are numbered; but don’t just teach us to count our days. Please remind us that we are Your vessels of honor, Your, representatives, and Your heart. Someone needs to know that You came to comfort and not to harm any of us. Forgive us Lord when we fail, and help us to be trustful and loving servants in everything we do.
Help us each to appreciate the Love You have for us and to desire to serve others more that we desire to be served. You trustingly planted Yourself is us and You deserve the best fruit from those seeds. You, are our Eternal Hope and You, are ever present; renewing, sustaining, preserving and protecting us…
