February 20, 2006

Grammy's Coming

Grammy arrives Wednesday, February 22, at 10:18 PM on a United Airlines flight from Spokane, Idaho. Uncle Bruce is traveling with her, assuring 92-yr-old Grammy's safe arrival in Orlando.

This is bigger than Christmas!

We have lists. Lists of things, "To Do," and things to be sure someone else does. We've imagined everything Grammy will do, and how we must prepare. We have lists of simple and complex tasks screaming to be completed, "on time."

Grammy will run her fingers over the windowsills. "Dust the windowsills, wash the windows, adjust the drapes, sit in a chair by the window and look outside to see if anything needs to be fixed out there."

Grammy will use the bathroom. "Install a 3-in-one commode. Widen the bathroom doorway to accommodate a wheelchair, scrub the bathroom floor-tub-windows-mirror-counter, remove any cobwebs from the ceiling corners, wash and fluff the towels, hang them straight."

Grammy's coming and we have lists! This is almost bigger than JCAHO!

I look at the lists, and I remember Grammy. Ninety-two years of living on ranches, raising 4 children, making meals for hired hands and starving Sons-in-law, playing piano and organ, making the phone her connection to the outside world when she could no longer get around as well as she'd like. Grammy-a servant-loved and loving.

I wonder what's on her list today? My guess is that it is concise, a simple recipe for hope. "Love these kids," I think it says, with three ball-point circles around the word "love," and a blue smilie above "kids."

Grammy's Coming. And we can hardly wait!

"This is whetting our appetites for the glorious day when our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, appears." Titus 2:13

Dick Duerksen
Assistant Vice President
Mission development
Florida Hospital