In November I fainted and fell out of bed, breaking my left femur. I was transported by ambulance
to Mercy Hospital, had surgery, and started the long process of healing. My surgeon said the bone needs
4 months to heal. I was transferred to Skilled Nursing at Epworth. During this time I was in deep pain and
not interested in anything but decreasing the pain. I also had to deal with my fainting episodes and felt
very insecure as the doctors tried to figure out a plan. Nurses and aides cared for my basic needs of
cleaning my bed, and clothing, and making sure there would be no increased infection, but I dreaded their coming to my bed. The pain was just too intense as they had to move me to complete their duties.

I was not trying to blame anyone, but I wanted no more pain. I tried to direct the helpers, but that
did not work. Then I realized I could grab the metal bars on the bed and lift myself up. This was a major
change for me and the workers. Our Skilled Nursing staff did not expect me to be without pain, but my
reaction to pain was frustrating for all of us. As I thought of the long hours of their day and the MANY patients they cared for, I began to think more about their service and less about my pain.

The Dalai Lama offered me a new path with his words in The Book of Joy. He wrote, “The more
time you spend thinking about yourself, the more suffering you experience. A compassionate concern for
others’ well-being is the source of happiness.” Do you wonder about your life and the challenges you
face? Do you find yourself focusing on your own thoughts, ideas, situations, and ideology rather than
having compassion for others? Most of us lose our compassion in today’s changing times whether it be in
our jobs, society, religion, politics, families, or diversity in general. I think Jesus is the one who reminds us
of how to live with others. “Love others as you love yourself” is his teaching, and we need to remember it
in all situations. When we find ourselves bothered by what is happening around us and we feel angry or
frustrated or very unsafe, the beginning place to find peace is by focusing on others. That is how the Dalai Lama handled exile as a young boy, and I believe it is how Jesus handled his persecution.

We are very fortunate at Epworth Villa to have resources so close as we heal. When the Maintenance Team found out I needed safety changes made in our apartment, they immediately came! When I
needed to keep going with my therapy, the therapists were adaptable as they accepted that some days
nausea and fear of fainting were just part of my life. My husband is extra sweet to push me in a wheelchair to and from the sessions, and as we pass the café on the way home, I get a treat! Coke and a hamburger simply make me want to do it all over again!

My life has changed so much since November, but I have learned to focus less on my pain and
more on those helping me and the process itself. I am glad to be here at Epworth Villa, and I appreciate
all of the gifts and prayers during this time of healing. Compassion does seem to be the key, though, to
my happiness. Could it be that way for you too?

“Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 4:6-7

Happy New Year! Though there is no way to tell what a new year will bring, one thing we can
count on is that it will include change. Change can cause anxiety, but it can also present great opportunity. The attitude that we have about change makes a big impact on how successful we are in navigating the changes in our lives, and it also says something significant about our relationship with God. When we are worried and fearful of change, then we are not fully trusting in God’s faithfulness to walk with us and to give us the strength needed to meet whatever challenges lie ahead. We rob ourselves of God’s peace and of the energy we could use to make a positive difference in the situation. That anxiety can also keep us from seeing the wonderful opportunities and blessings that God is offering us in something new.

The Bible, throughout the Old and New Testaments, tells us that not only should we expect great change in life, but that we are also called to be instruments of change in the world. With God, change is not something to fear. It is something to embrace as a part of being faithful disciples of Christ. Yes, the world is changing rapidly, but we worship a great God and are called to give a great witness in the world. What will our witness as Christians be in 2023? Will we add to the anxiety and fearfulness that is churning among so many in the world, or will we pour out patience, resilience, and confidence in God’s presence and provision?

As we move into a new year, this is a great opportunity to chart a course to navigate change
grounded in our faith. Just as Paul encouraged the church at Philippi, I encourage you in this time of
change: do not worry, but instead pray to God with thanks and earnest pleas for guidance and for provision. Whatever changes we have to navigate in the world, we do not face them alone. If we can remain grounded in our faith and trust in our amazing God, we will be able to face whatever changes that may come with strength and with peace. Above all, do not worry because God’s got us covered!

Like so many families that I know, during the 1980s parents were still alive. Regularly, families on both sides were on our list of places to visit during the Christmas press between noon Christmas Eve and the end of Christmas Day.

In the heat of the season, I tried to visit grandparents in addition to my parents and my wife’s parents. It was my responsibility to include my role as minister leading the Christmas Eve Candlelight Communion in the list of commitments in these intense 48 hours.

It was always great to see all of those people, and for the most part, we celebrated Christmas in each of those places and everyone understood who we were as family, parents, children, and grandchildren. Celebrating the birth of Jesus and His role as Prince of Peace called me to look forward to the day when I would be able to know the “Peace of Christ” in all of the events of the Christmas celebration I worked hard knowing how to keep the relationships of family and the activities in that special time. It was years later before I realized how important it was for me to take charge of my relationship with God and live out my responsibility to keep “peace” in my own life.

Time and age and changes in roles and responsibilities have made finding peace at Christmas a little bit easier these days. In the spirit of believing that “Jesus is the reason for the season,” I continue to remember that it’s my responsibility to keep peace in my life, to search for the peace that God brings to earth all the time and especially during the Christmas celebration each year.

It’s still not easy to find peace in the busy time. I still look for the peace that God brings at Christmas in the time of celebrating the birth of the Prince of Peace, Jesus.

Here’s an invitation for you to seek peace this Christmas season.

Therefore encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.
1 Thessalonians 15:2

A friend in one of our congregations said his favorite song was Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World.” Jim was such a positive, loving, caring guy, and I expected his “favorite song” to be a hymn. I listened to Armstrong’s rendition, and I understood why it is so appealing. People greet one another with the words, “How do you do?” What they’re really saying, according to the song, is “I love you.”
When we greet one another here at Epworth Villa, we’re not likely to say, “I love you.” It’s just too loaded with romantic and sentimental implications and prone to be misinterpreted. We’d rather use other words. (Choose your own.) I do believe in greeting people and calling them by name when I can remember—or see their name tag. I’m convinced there is no sound more welcome to most folks than the sound of their own name spoken in a loving, caring way.

Soon after we moved to Epworth Villa, over ten years ago, I decided that as much as I loved the facilities, staff, and services provided, what makes Epworth Villa so very special are the people who live here. I still believe that. The people who live here care for each other. It happens every day in so many ways. We can all offer a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, and a heartfelt prayer. It makes a difference. Let’s not underestimate the difference we can make in someone else’s life.