Last Friday, Maggie, my
neighbor, called to say that her hot water tank was not working. We roll our
eyes and say: “Why me, Lord… I’m too busy, better yet, I’m no plumber.” But
after that initial twinge of selfishness goes away, we move on to the next phase
figuring out how to help someone Jesus describes as one of His “little ones.”
I already knew the hot
water tank was on its last leg. When I had Maggie’s home remodeled last year
through a grant, I asked for a replacement of the tank but the director of the
program said no.
So, who do you call? For
me, it’s my Lutheran builder, whose response was “we will be at her home on
Tuesday and get it replaced.” Some people are willing to help and make no
excuses.
Now my style was to contact
the agencies who say that they are there to help our seniors. They go by
various names: Community Action, US Rural Development, Pathstone, Ministry of
Concern, Catholic Charities, Office of Aging. So, I drive Maggie to the Office
of Aging where we meet Jana, a case worker, who explains that one director was
meeting with another director to find out who can help. As per my style, I
contacted three more agencies and let them know that Maggie needed their
assistance and I was ready to help her fill out their forms. One agency shared
that she had used them in the past and could not come back for a second
helping. How sad to think our government sets limits on people in need.
After our visit to the
Office of the Aging, I took Maggie for her eye exam and treated her to lunch.
She had finished her julianne salad when I looked up and to my surprise she had
taken her dentures out of her mouth. A tad embarrassed, she simply smiled back.
After our shopping trip,
Maggie asked me to check her bath shower because there was no hot water. I taught
her to let it run awhile until the water gets hot. We adjusted her shower head
so that more warm water comes out. Later that day, Jana called to report that
the Ministry of Concern would donate $200 towards the tank. We need $850, so I
encouraged her to contact Community Action and ask Catholic Charities to help
out.
You see, God loves our stories.
He planted us on His good earth to die so that we might know eternal life and
flowering into maturity by surrendering ourselves completely to God's Plan.
Lord, I pray for all my
Sonshine Friends that we realize that each of us has the opportunity to make a
unique contribution to the fulfillment of God's Grand Design. We are challenged
to make our life story a story about helping God’s little ones like Maggie. May
the story you are telling God with your life be a story of the "Good
Life." God loves a "Good Life" story more than you can possibly
imagine!
