H is for Hospital by Lorilee Guenter

The past two weeks, I have spent many hours at the hospital as God writes the final pages of my dad's life. Through the journey there have been other "h" words come to mind. Words lived in the moments we have. Today I offer a reflection on a life well lived and the final pages of a life story.

As people of faith, these days do not only mark an end but a new beginning. We live each day in the hope that we have been given. Soon dad's faith will become sight.  He lived with the hope of healing, perfect healing, as he embraced life both now and the one to come. He shared that hope even in the moments of deep pain. 

He leaves a legacy of love. Day by day Dad showed us what love looked like. Staff and volunteers have commented on the love they have witnessed as we wait for the last line of the earthly story to be written. We know the first line of the sequel. I am grateful for the legacy of love that I am part of and recognize the unspoken challenge to continue that legacy.

Throughout the years, Dad lived a life of consistency. He offered help and encouragement to those around him. He knew you didn't need to write a novel for your words to have impact. He encouraged us to use our words to write for ourselves and others. He modelled kind and encouraging words to those he interacted with including cashiers and strangers put in his path. Now as we share stories with friends, family and staff and volunteers here who pause to listen, we are on the receiving end of encouragement, help and offers of help. 

As I reflect on the example and teaching of my dad, it is my hope that we as writers offer ourselves as a pen in God's hand as he writes our story and the stories of those around us.

The Help by Terrie Lynne

Lately I've been thinking about a movie I watched with my daughter about a year ago titled, The Help.  

It's loosely based around two African American women who work as maids for white families during the Civil Rights era in the 1960s. If you go to Wikipedia  you can read a little write up about the movie content. If you haven't seen the movie I highly recommend it.

One of the maids, or as they were referred to in the movie as the help, was named Aberdeen Clark. One of her duties was to take care of a little girl around 3 years old. Every day Aberdeen would speak in her broken English these encouraging words of affirmation over the little girl, "You's kind, you's smart, you's important!"

Our eyes filled with tears and our hearts were deeply touched when we watched that scene. I felt as if it was what I call a "God Moment".  Like a blessing being spoken over that little girl!

 It's such a powerful reminder of the power of words, both good and bad. I've heard it said that when one negative or discouraging word has been spoken to a person it takes up to seven positive or encouraging words to counteract the negative affect in our mind and heart.  I believe the scriptures do refer to the fact that words have power for good or for evil.

I believe the Bible also refers to the  Holy Spirit as " The Helper", the one that wants to come along beside us. He wants to  speak words of encouragement and affirmation into our hearts. Words like, you're kind, you're smart, you're important!

 I hope I can reflect "the helper" that lives inside me when I speak the words,  "you's kind, you's smart, you's important, to a lost and hurting world around me that so desperately needs to hear these healing and encouraging words!

I hope you have been blessed and encouraged too!
Amen. Let it be so!