It was awkward, honestly, knowing the faith and literal value of conversations that three young children possess. Unsure, of how it would go...we were escorted into the locked down facility. Activity time was our invitation. Yahtzee was the game today. My 3 kiddos followed my prep so well and stood in the doorway boldly introducing themselves to the elderly.
My heart broke. There they sat all gazing from person to person, wondering what Yahtzee was, and if they were part of the game.
She had white dandelion hair, she walked so slow yet with much anticipation as she reached my youngest sitting upon my lap, gently stroking my child's face asking to play. My son's lil' smile consumed his face and the elderly gal was comforted. He talked back and said he could play...yet on the walk home, the kids so innocently asked, "can she really come over and play?"
She continued to move towards the seat at the end of the table, stopping at my middle child and he so lovingly looked over his shoulder at her, his brown eyes tossing rays of acceptance and wonder...
Another gal sat quietly in the corner, I told my youngest to go say hi. He did. She talked of nothing that made sense and how she wanted to hold him on her lap...he declined the invitation. But over came my middle child accepting the invitation and was suddenly, being held. My oldest sat beside her, nodding her head as the elderly gal rambled on about past regrets that seemed but recent to her and how she marveled at the seam on the shorts of my middle child she was holding. My heart continued to break as the Yahtzee game continued, the activity therapist went from one to the next telling them how to shake and what to shake and then writing their score for each of them.
Another elderly gentlemen sat beside us, commenting on his similar haircut to my two boys.
He asked his name,
"Malachi." my youngest son replied.
"He will change his name," the man responded looking at me.
"Oh do you know what his name means?" I ask. "Would you like me to tell you?"
"No one knows," the elderly man replied.
And then I told them, "it means a messenger of God."
And it brought the greatest stir of the Yahtzee game thus far and many spoke in agreement of this lil' boy's purpose. Many spoke about the blessing of children from the Lord.
There was another elderly man who prompted a treasured confirmation for my broken heart. I asked him of his day, and he said his wife and him were reading through the old testament together. I asked him his favorite scripture and he began to say, "The Lord is my shepherd..." I said that the kids and I had just memorized it and then it filled the room, the rich voice of the elderly man and the comfort of my children's voices quoting Psalm 23.
The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
4Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,a
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever.
My heart continues to break for the failing minds and the bondage that wasn't chosen or intended but now most are prone to wonder. But one thing was confirmed today...God cares for the memory of His greatness.
Psalm 145;7 "Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised. They shall abundantly utter the memory of they goodness."
His word is our Memory Care whether we know it or not.
