So this will be my last week of Sacrificial Hospitality challenges. At least, it will be my last week of coming up with and posting an idea on my blog here and then following up with all of you on how it went! I definitely have enjoyed making this a part of my life and I think it would be a shame to stop. I have been so touched and blessed by these experiences and, to be honest, it's been very painless. I wonder if more people knew it could be painless if there would be more kind gestures? But I digress...
Yesterday afternoon, I had the absolute pleasure of receiving a phone call from my husband's grandma. She is his only living grandparent and very sweet. Turns out she's already busy at work making Christmas presents for all of her kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. Let me just tell you... that is a LOT of people. Apparently, she had been trying to reach my sisters-in-law for awhile now to find out the ages of all the children in our "branch" of the family. She wasn't able to reach them, but she caught me! And I was so glad. It was lovely to chat with her and catch up a little bit. Turns out she wasn't aware yet that we're expecting a baby in June, so that was fun to share!
My "Grandma-in-law", if you will, lives in an assisted living facility. When my husband and I first moved here to Indiana, close to all his family, my father-in-law once suggested that I go there sometime and play the piano for the residents. I smiled and agreed it was a nice idea... and promptly forgot about it. I've never done it. We've lived here for almost four years now, and I've just never taken the time to make it happen. The facility is less than 15 miles from me; it would be no real hardship.
The reason I haven't gone? Well, there are a few. Mostly, it boils down to laziness. I just haven't bothered. There's also the "nerves" factor. We don't actually have a piano in our home so I don't really get to practice and I fear I'll be rather rusty. And you know what? It's just easier to stay at home. I can certainly make myself busy here. I can absolutely convince myself that I am best serving my family and the Lord by staying right where I am and cleaning and baking and singing to my children. Those are all noble pursuits and important roles for me to fill, but the truth of the matter is that I could most definitely find an hour to share some music with the elderly.... Really? We all could. The simple truth is that we MAKE time for what matters...
And so I will. I will make it a mission to contact the assisted living facility and set up a time when I can play the piano, maybe sing a bit, and just visit with these amazing people who could teach me so much...
Honestly? I'm starting to really look forward to it.
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Is there a nursing home, hospital, or assisted living facility in your area? Could you spare an hour to share music, read aloud, or even just to chat with some of the seniors in your community?
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