Remember when you were a child, and you got new shoes? If you were like me, I wanted them to stay looking “brand new!” It never lasted very long once I began to use them as they were meant to finally be used — going to school. As long as I stayed in Sunday school and church and the classroom, the shoes continued to look new. But “school” also meant “playground,” and it wasn’t long until the new shoes began to show signs of “use!”

Even more than new shoes, I treasured new workbooks — the kind you write in when you are solving arithmetic problems or working in other subjects answering questions. For as many years as I received workbooks in school, I promised myself that “this time” I would keep them nice and neat. And as long as I had workbooks, they always—inevitably—got smeared! Why? Why couldn’t I keep them “perfect?”

I couldn’t keep them perfect because I was using them for their intended purpose—to try to learn something that I didn’t already know—which, without fail, leads to some wrong answers that must be erased (with whatever eraser was available at the time) in order to be able to record the correct answer.

My experience with workbooks is similar to my track record with New Year’s resolutions. I take stock as a new year approaches and consider what changes in my life and activities would be desirable and healthy and—faithful!! (It seems that often the changes I feel the need to make in the rising new year are the same ones that I felt the need to make last year. But don’t expect me to tell you what they are!)

Let’s just say that I will strive to become a more faithful child of God—a disciple of Jesus, the Christ! May the words of my mouth, the meditations of my heart, and my pleas for the forgiveness of my failings be acceptable to God.

by Carolyn Taylor, Epworth Villa Resident

And going into the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold and frankincense and myrrh.
— Matthew 2:11

In almost every nativity scene that you might see, there are three wise men, or Magi, depicted as being at the birth of Jesus, bearing gifts for the Christ child. They are easily recognizable as they are usually the tallest figures; however, according to Matthew 2:11, the wise men were not actually there at the time of the birth. The birth occurred in Bethlehem, and the Bible states the wise men visited at a house, not the manger, and probably about a year or so later when Jesus was a toddler.

They did bring gifts. The three are identified as Balthasar, King of Arabia or Ethiopia; Melchior, King of Persia; and Gaspar, King of India. God chose men of three different colors from three different cultures to come together to follow His Star to recognize the new King of the Jews. They brought gifts of myrrh, which is an anointing oil; frankincense, which is a perfume; and gold, which is a symbol of kingship on earth.

It is said that the three emissaries sent by King Herod accepted Jesus as their Savior. After they informed Herod of the existence of the Christ child, the fearful King ordered that all Jewish males two years and under be killed, another indication that the Magis’ visit was within the two years after the birth. The wise men were warned in a dream about Herod and went back to their homes without seeing him.

The imaginative constructions of the Magi gifts are symbolic of generosity in response to the greater gift of God’s infinite generosity of actually giving God’s self. These offerings signal that followers of Jesus are called to participate in infinite generosity of giving themselves to God and to others freely. Let us all give ourselves freely.

J. Stephen Ford, Ph.D., P.E. has served on the Board of Directors at Epworth Villa since 2016. As a senior investigative engineer with structural engineering being his primary focus, he has served as a consultant to senior management on all things pertaining to facilities.

On June 21, 2021, Ford’s expertise was called into action. On this date, a most unfortunate flooding occurred from an 8” high-pressure pipe. Because Ford’s firm designed this part of the building in 1988-1989, he had inside knowledge and had all the plans and designs. Ford always keeps a hard hat and rubber boots in his vehicle, due to the nature of his work. As soon as Ford was made aware of the flood, he was in the building with a calm and wise demeanor that was essential to assisting the fire department, the restoration company, and senior management in accessing the safety of the scene. The next morning Ford had Burnett Construction on the premises to begin evaluating the damage and repair. Because Ford’s mother was a resident of Epworth Villa before her passing, he knew the importance of residential safety to our residents and deeply felt the inconvenience that would impact the residents, employees, and guests.  Ford made sure that both the flood restoration and construction companies were sensitive and respectful to all the residents.

Ford is dedicated to helping a novice understand the structural effects of a water incident such as this. As a former professor and teacher, he has taken the time to explain this water event to any resident or employee who inquires. He has spent numerous off-the-clock hours advising, inspecting, calling, and planning. We know that Ford’s dedication to Epworth Villa as a volunteer comes from his deep love for his mother and the place, she called home. Most superheroes wear capes, our hero wears a hard hat and rubber boots.