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UNWANTED SURPRISES – UNEXPECTED BLESSINGS

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Psalm 23 is probably the most familiar Psalm in the Bible.  To those who see God as nothing but an angry grumpy tyrant, ready to blast us out of existence for any mis-step, this picture of a tender and attentive shepherd can come as a surprise.

Surprises – they pop up in our lives all the time.  Everyday surprises are not always as obvious or extreme as these, but here are some examples.

The Wonderful Surprise –

“You’ve just won the Publishers Clearinghouse Sweepstakes”.

The Anticipated Surprise – a.k.a. the surprise you know is coming

          “I need to talk to you next Thursday about something really important.” Or maybe walking into what should be an empty room on your birthday and hearing a group of people yell “Surprise!”

The Unwanted Surprise

          “Come to the ER.  Your child has been in a terrible accident.”

In the Old Testament, the nation of Israel, slaves in Egypt, are led away to freedom by Moses, headed to a country of their own that God has promised them.  Great surprise!  God must really love them!

Suddenly they’re trapped between the Red Sea and Pharoah’s army.  Terrible surprise!  How could God let this happen?

God holds the army with a column of fire, parts the waters, the Israelites cross to safety.  God puts out the fire, and as the Egyptians cross the sea bed, the waters collapse on the army.  God must love them (again).  The people burst into song.  And who wouldn’t after such a great surprise.  But the Bible tells us that every time unwanted surprises came, they whined and complained and threatened to head back to Egypt.

The truth is, God was good the whole time.  He delivered on His surprise.  Israel just had to work through the rough wrapping to get to the treasure inside.  So it is with us.

As a young adult, I remember vividly my mother listening as I poured out my fear and concern about a crisis point in my life, one that could shape my whole future.  What if I fail?  What’s going to happen?  She listened and then said this to me – “God is not sitting on His throne, wringing His hands and wondering ‘Oh, no, what am I going to do’?  When I think about that, I almost always chuckle.  It is indeed a ridiculous thought.  God’s got this.  He knows what’s going on with the great surprises.  He knows what’s going on with the unwanted surprises. 

Sometimes an unwanted surprise causes irritation –  rare is the person who enjoys having to change a schedule to deal with an unexpected situation.

Sometimes an unwanted surprise brings fear – what can we do about this?  Will everything be okay?  Ever? 

Often an unwanted surprise elicits a question in us – a question that asks “Could I have done something to change this?” or more often “Could I have done more?” Usually that’s a normal, but invalid, emotion that invades the sensitive soul.  Sometimes it’s a legitimate assessment of our own priorities, and how we invest our energies in the lives of others. 

Either way, it can lead us to the gift that was hidden inside the roughly wrapped package. 

It might be fair to say that sometimes our loved ones have brought some unwanted surprises, especially as they became less well and more dependent on others. As loved ones and friends we’ve worked to comfort, to help, and have done our best to prepare for and prevent unwanted surprises. And yet . . . they still come. Those unwanted surprises can be challenging, exhausting, and sometimes devastating.

But if we take our cue from the Israelites, we’ll look a little farther, and see a little deeper.  We’ll discover and remember the events that are nuggets of blessing.  We’ll reflect on the times when, despite all the challenges of the situation, we’ve shared a moment we’ll never forget, and possibly that will influence us for the rest of our lives.

In that moment the rough wrapping of unwanted surprises can be laid aside, and we can discover one nugget of treasure among many –  the assurance that no matter what has come before, God is not surprised and He is in control.  It’s a reminder to make all of our interactions with others the wonderful surprise that God intends our lives to be.

Filed Under: Chaplain's Corner

Ready Or Not . . .

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At a church where I was worship leader, the Senior Pastor would frequently repeat this message to the staff: “Sunday comes around every week, whether you’re ready for it or not”. Point being, of course, that we’d better be prepared.

It seems that just about everything in life is like that. After the flood, God told Noah “as long as the world exists, there will be a time for planting and a time for harvest. There will always be cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night.” (Genesis 8:22).

And so it goes. Each day turns from morning into evening, and back again. Every season of the year eventually gives way to a new season. And each time we finally think we have a handle on the phase of life we’re experiencing, what happens? The paradigm shifts! A whole new learning curve starts. The reality of change can be painful.

It’s not like we haven’t been warned. We shouldn’t be surprised. But we are. For instance, we know we’re not going to live forever and that our bodies will begin to weaken. But when clear signs of these events become evident, it can be mind-blowing.

Some great words of wisdom in the Bible can help us to be prepared for these changes, and maybe even feel better about them. Like the encouragement we find in Proverbs 16:31:

“Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.”

Or this oh-so-comforting promise from God found in Isaiah:

“I am your God and will take care of you
    until you are old and your hair is gray.
“

So don’t be caught off-guard. Prepare for the days you know are coming – spiritually, physically, financially. And if you or someone you love needs a little direction, we’re here to help.

Filed Under: Chaplain's Corner Tagged With: aging, Assisted Living, encouragement, preparation

In These Uncertain Times . . .

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That seems to be the way every commercial or newscast begins lately.  Okay, they might use the words “anxious” or “unprecedented” instead of “uncertain”, but here’s what they DON’T say:

“This Coronavirus STINKS!”.

And it does. The threat of physical suffering is real, but the overwhelming burden that most of us feel, including our residents here at The Gardens, is really separation. We can’t meet our friends for dinner somewhere, we can’t greet loved ones with a handshake and a hug, and we can’t cuddle our grandbabies. And the question on our minds more than any other is this:

When will it end?

During our morning breakfast devotion at The Gardens we concentrate on and cultivate one fruit of the Spirit each week. Want to guess what this week’s fruit is? It’s patience. Overlooking the inconveniences of the world. Instead of complaining about a delay, thanking God for an extra moment to pray. Choosing to face new challenges with joy instead of cursing and clenching our fists.

Paul wrote in Romans that everything that was written in the past was written to teach us. The Scriptures give us patience and encouragement so that we can have hope. Max Lucado writes that these scriptures show “historical moments in which a real God met real pain”.

So it helps us to remember that the same God who comforted the children of Israel through every exile, who wept with grieving sisters before he raised their brother to life, who whispered hope to two bereaved and bewildered believers on the road to Emmaus . . .

 . . . this same God waits with you today as He repeats the words He uttered to the Israelites: “Be still; the LORD your GOD will fight for you.” This same God “will cover you with His  feathers and . . you will not fear the pestilence . . or the plague”. 

Your Father cares, and He will protect you.

Neil Stephens, Chaplain

Filed Under: Chaplain's Corner

GOD IS GOOD!

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April is a wonderful month. Nature springs back to life. Daylight hours lengthen. Warmer weather replaces the cold. And, we celebrate the most awesome, and glorious day of the Christian calendar. Easter! The celebration of our Lord’s resurrection from the grave!

Easter celebrates the truth Jesus stated to Martha, and challenges each of us to answer the question He gave her. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me; though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

What a pleasure it has been, for the past 6 years, to lead an Easter celebration for our sweet seniors at The Gardens at Calvary. I regret that this Easter will be my last. My dear wife and I are retiring in May. We will continue to pray for all of you and cherish the days we had together. I am grateful to management and staff for allowing me to serve together with them in the wonderful elder ministry of the best senior living community on the planet.

God is good! His wonders never cease. I pray that the witness of His creation in springtime, the witness of Christian celebrations around the world on Easter Sunday, and the witness of His Holy Spirit within you, will stir your hearts to rejoice in The Lord.

May the Lord bless you and keep you, and make His face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you, and give you peace.

Norman Drummond, Chaplain

Filed Under: Chaplain's Corner Tagged With: Chaplain

The Meaning of Life

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For one of our Thursday Bible Studies this month we are looking at what Jesus said about our life’s purpose. You may have seen Viktor Frankl’s well-known quote, “The meaning of life is to give life meaning.” That is clever but contrary to what God’s word says. Our life’s meaning is found in God Himself. Ephesians 2:10 tells us “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

We who follow Jesus as our Lord and Savior have found life’s meaning and purpose when we found Christ. Rick Warren has written, “Without God, life has no purpose, and without purpose, life has no meaning. Without meaning, life has no significance or hope.” Our purpose is to present ourselves to Jesus to allow Him to work his purpose in us.

God is good and his work for us, in us, and through us is also good.  “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”

Jesus always says it best. When discovering our true purpose which gives our lives meaning, we find it simply put in Matthew 5:15-16. “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Filed Under: Chaplain's Corner

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The Gardens At Calvary

- ASSISTED LIVING -
7595 MOON RD.
COLUMBUS, GA 31909

PHONE:
(706) 653-2000

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- MEMORY CARE -
7462 OLD MOON RD
COLUMBUS, GA 31909

PHONE:
(706) 507-2131

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THE GARDENS AT CALVARY MISSION
We exist to provide a home of loving and compassionate care for seniors who need more than day-to-day assistance while maintaining their dignity in a Christ-like environment.

CALVARY MINISTRIES’ MOTTO
Calvary is a devoted family who loves God and loves our neighbor.

Our management company, Restoration Senior Living is faith based and focuses on quality living and enriching faith.

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