Story-Teller
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Visiting Day
Sally always looked forward to visiting day. So did her husband Roger. Oh, Roger never accompanied Sally on her visiting days. He headed off to work each day, thankful that he made enough money that Sally did not have to work. But Roger benefited from visiting day, because when he came home at night after Sally had had one of her visiting days, Roger could tell that Sally’s heart was just a little lighter. Roger always enjoyed coming home to a woman like Sally, for each night Sally welcomed him home as if he had just come home from the war. But on visiting days those welcomes seemed even more special.
For Sally, visiting day came about by accident. Well, as much of an accident as most blessings that come from God. Sally’s pastor challenged his congregation to use the gifts and talents God had given them. The following Wednesday, between mealtime and the evening service, Sally approached her pastor.
“Pastor Tom, have you got a minute?”
“Sally, I always have time for someone who needs me.”
Sally hesitated. “I don’t know where to begin, but I’ve been thinking about your sermon, and I’m just not sure if I have any gifts or talents.”
“Pastor Tom chuckled, and then addressed his parishioner. “Sally, sometimes it takes someone else to point out the gifts and talents we have. You know, we pastors love to eat, and I don’t know of anyone else so young who cooks quite as good as you do. You certainly have a talent for cooking. And Sally, you have a knack for listening to people.” Pastor Tom smiled, then continued. “Just the other day, one of the older ladies in our church shared with me that she thought you were a brilliant conversationalist. What she meant, of course, was that you are an attentive listener while she speaks. So many people today never listen to others. They are too busy thinking of what they are going to say next. Sally, you really are a wonderful listener. The problem most people have in trying to figure out their gifts and talents is that they make things too complicated. Sometime, gifts and talents are simple things that God has equipped us with.”
“I never really thought of it that way. Thanks, Pastor Tom.”
Pastor Tom watched as Sally turned and walked away. He knew Sally would mull things over and God would tell her what to do with her gifts and talents.
Sally’s brief meeting with Pastor Tom was over two years ago. It was almost that long ago when God put it upon Sally’s heart to initiate visiting day. Sally always had a heart for the elderly. Sally loved to take away their lonely moments and to listen to their wisdom. So Sally decided that she would visit some of the elderly widows in her church. It was a large church. Many of the women had outlived their husbands. And many of them had few visitors, and too many days alone could easily lead to lonely days. Sally devoted an entire day to thinking of who could use a visit from her. At the end of the day, four women stood out in Sally’s mind, and Sally decided to visit each one. Her first visit with each went so well that Sally decided to repeat her visits.
I want to visit, but what can I do to lessen the loneliness they feel after I leave? Sally thought of each of the women; Rose, Thelma, Amelia, and Gert, each so different, but each so much alike. Sally’s thoughts reminded her of Pastor Tom’s comment. “I don’t know of anyone else so young who cooks quite as well as you do.” Do others feel the same as Pastor Tom, or was he merely being nice? Sally had to admit that other women repeatedly came up to her and asked her for certain recipes, and Roger was always telling her how lucky he was to marry such a great cook. Sally decided right then that she would take something to eat to each of the ladies she visited. One month she might take her famous orange juice cake, while there is nothing like a good bowl of homemade vegetable soup on a cold winter day. But while a morsel of food might be a good respite for those she visited, what could she do to make bring a little joy to these women’s lives in between visits?
Sally thought for a while and came up with an idea to take each woman a gift. Oh, nothing expensive, but something she might enjoy. Sally remembered her visit with Rose. Rose apologized for having her card table set up in the den, but Rose was in the middle of working a jigsaw puzzle. She told Sally how much she loved to work one, how much joy it gave her to finish each one, and how it made the time pass more quickly. Sally made a note. I bet Rose would love a new puzzle.
Sally made of list of her friends. She saw a crossword puzzle book lying on the table next to where Thelma sat. And Sally knew how much Gert loved to read. I will pick up a suitable paper-back before my next visit. Sally smiled, but then frowned. What will I get Amelia? I don’t know anything she likes to do. But then Sally remembered Amelia told her that her son sent her a bouquet of flowers every Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and on her birthday. Amelia loves flowers. I can take her flowers on occasion.
That evening Sally shared her idea with Roger. Roger thought it was a wonderful idea, and when Sally came home from her next month’s visits, Sally knew that Roger was right. Each lady loved Sally’s visit. Sally also shared with Roger that she saw a calendar in Amelia’s kitchen. Amelia had written ‘Sally’s coming’ to remind her of the day Sally visited. It was the only thing written on Amelia’s calendar for that month. When Sally got home that day, she knelt down and thanked God that He gave her a talent for cooking and listening, that He gave her Pastor Tom to remind her of those talents, and that he gave her a husband who encouraged her in what she did.
Steve Demaree
1608 Summerhill Drive
Lexington, KY 40515
(606) 271-2416
[email protected]
Submitted by Richard
Sally always looked forward to visiting day. So did her husband Roger. Oh, Roger never accompanied Sally on her visiting days. He headed off to work each day, thankful that he made enough money that Sally did not have to work. But Roger benefited from visiting day, because when he came home at night after Sally had had one of her visiting days, Roger could tell that Sally’s heart was just a little lighter. Roger always enjoyed coming home to a woman like Sally, for each night Sally welcomed him home as if he had just come home from the war. But on visiting days those welcomes seemed even more special.
For Sally, visiting day came about by accident. Well, as much of an accident as most blessings that come from God. Sally’s pastor challenged his congregation to use the gifts and talents God had given them. The following Wednesday, between mealtime and the evening service, Sally approached her pastor.
“Pastor Tom, have you got a minute?”
“Sally, I always have time for someone who needs me.”
Sally hesitated. “I don’t know where to begin, but I’ve been thinking about your sermon, and I’m just not sure if I have any gifts or talents.”
“Pastor Tom chuckled, and then addressed his parishioner. “Sally, sometimes it takes someone else to point out the gifts and talents we have. You know, we pastors love to eat, and I don’t know of anyone else so young who cooks quite as good as you do. You certainly have a talent for cooking. And Sally, you have a knack for listening to people.” Pastor Tom smiled, then continued. “Just the other day, one of the older ladies in our church shared with me that she thought you were a brilliant conversationalist. What she meant, of course, was that you are an attentive listener while she speaks. So many people today never listen to others. They are too busy thinking of what they are going to say next. Sally, you really are a wonderful listener. The problem most people have in trying to figure out their gifts and talents is that they make things too complicated. Sometime, gifts and talents are simple things that God has equipped us with.”
“I never really thought of it that way. Thanks, Pastor Tom.”
Pastor Tom watched as Sally turned and walked away. He knew Sally would mull things over and God would tell her what to do with her gifts and talents.
Sally’s brief meeting with Pastor Tom was over two years ago. It was almost that long ago when God put it upon Sally’s heart to initiate visiting day. Sally always had a heart for the elderly. Sally loved to take away their lonely moments and to listen to their wisdom. So Sally decided that she would visit some of the elderly widows in her church. It was a large church. Many of the women had outlived their husbands. And many of them had few visitors, and too many days alone could easily lead to lonely days. Sally devoted an entire day to thinking of who could use a visit from her. At the end of the day, four women stood out in Sally’s mind, and Sally decided to visit each one. Her first visit with each went so well that Sally decided to repeat her visits.
I want to visit, but what can I do to lessen the loneliness they feel after I leave? Sally thought of each of the women; Rose, Thelma, Amelia, and Gert, each so different, but each so much alike. Sally’s thoughts reminded her of Pastor Tom’s comment. “I don’t know of anyone else so young who cooks quite as well as you do.” Do others feel the same as Pastor Tom, or was he merely being nice? Sally had to admit that other women repeatedly came up to her and asked her for certain recipes, and Roger was always telling her how lucky he was to marry such a great cook. Sally decided right then that she would take something to eat to each of the ladies she visited. One month she might take her famous orange juice cake, while there is nothing like a good bowl of homemade vegetable soup on a cold winter day. But while a morsel of food might be a good respite for those she visited, what could she do to make bring a little joy to these women’s lives in between visits?
Sally thought for a while and came up with an idea to take each woman a gift. Oh, nothing expensive, but something she might enjoy. Sally remembered her visit with Rose. Rose apologized for having her card table set up in the den, but Rose was in the middle of working a jigsaw puzzle. She told Sally how much she loved to work one, how much joy it gave her to finish each one, and how it made the time pass more quickly. Sally made a note. I bet Rose would love a new puzzle.
Sally made of list of her friends. She saw a crossword puzzle book lying on the table next to where Thelma sat. And Sally knew how much Gert loved to read. I will pick up a suitable paper-back before my next visit. Sally smiled, but then frowned. What will I get Amelia? I don’t know anything she likes to do. But then Sally remembered Amelia told her that her son sent her a bouquet of flowers every Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and on her birthday. Amelia loves flowers. I can take her flowers on occasion.
That evening Sally shared her idea with Roger. Roger thought it was a wonderful idea, and when Sally came home from her next month’s visits, Sally knew that Roger was right. Each lady loved Sally’s visit. Sally also shared with Roger that she saw a calendar in Amelia’s kitchen. Amelia had written ‘Sally’s coming’ to remind her of the day Sally visited. It was the only thing written on Amelia’s calendar for that month. When Sally got home that day, she knelt down and thanked God that He gave her a talent for cooking and listening, that He gave her Pastor Tom to remind her of those talents, and that he gave her a husband who encouraged her in what she did.
Steve Demaree
1608 Summerhill Drive
Lexington, KY 40515
(606) 271-2416
[email protected]
Submitted by Richard
