I do a lunch delivery run for home bound seniors once a month. It’s nice chatting with folks , getting to know a bit about them,, the other people serving them, praying with them. Today was my delivery day. I had a new man and wife added, but I realized 2 individuals had been removed, one an elderly lady who lived alone. I had seen home helpers there a couple of times and a friend who visited. She was clearly very fragile and barely able to tend to herself. I stopped by her house to check on her even though she was off the list. The house was locked up tight. Her car, which I’m sure she has not driven in a long time was still in the carport. Perhaps she’s gone to a nursing facility. Also missing was the elderly wife of a very nice couple. When I got to his door he told me she had died Christmas Day after a sudden abdominal abscess that got into her bloodstream and ruined her liver in 3 days. I stayed and visited with him a bit. I prayed with him. He was truly grateful for the visit. He’s not far from my house. I gave him my number and told him I’d check in with him more often than my monthly delivery day.
Some people are quite alone and today is about as good as their life is going to be. My Mother, at 89, is becoming very fragile, too.
It is sad to watch faces dim and then disappear.
I had visited a woman in a nice nursing facility in Birmingham over the holiday. She had contacted me on Facebook marketplace interested in buying a large number of greeting cards I had accumulated through Titus 2 and closing out several friends’ homes. I had sorted and bagged them by category. When I delivered them I told her it would be a joy to support her encouragement ministry of sending cards by gifting them to her. She was appreciative. Today I got a call from her thanking me again. She had gone through them and realized how nice they were and how much it would have cost to stock that many cards for the ministry she shares with some other ladies who come to her facility from a local church. She said she hoped she’d see me again. I will visit when I go to Birmingham again.
Facebook posts the last few days have reflected sadness, too.One thread of conversation included a widow bemoaning her loneliness and irrelevance in the lives of her children and grandchildren. This Christmas just past I made all the miles between us disappear. I invited myself if no invitation seemed forthcoming. I took in every event locally I could. I know my time will come when I can no longer do those things, but I will push to stay engaged with life. . 1/7/26. CBB