the gift of time

My mother in law Mary has said a few times in my life, "oh Jessy, I don't need a gift - the greatest gift you could give me is time." Even though we know that's true, in our household we've made all sorts of jokes about the gift of time - when we don't know what to get someone for a birthday, "you think they'd accept the gift of time?" or "please, not another gift of time!!!" or when I accidentally put too much THYME into a quiche once, that's now a legendary story of "dont' let Jessy put too much of her THYME in there" and other little jokes that will last a long time. :). But last week, the gift of time really was a gift to someone special, and it melted my heart. My Bible study leaders Linda and Laura recently had the greatest idea - they invited us to a senior care facility to meet a friend who has Alzheimer's. We brought our kids (I brought Jack, the girls were at school) to sing along with the 8 kids for the patients in the health center at the facility. When the nurses found out we were going to sing to Betty, they wheeled a few more patients into the dining room and we sang for them, too. We started with some Sunday school songs (Jesus Loves Me, Deep and Wide, and the B-I-B-L-E song) and then we finished up with Take Me Out To The Ballgame - which had the neatest reaction from some of the men in the room who didn't seem to be paying much attention at first. Some of them began to sing along with us or mouth the words. It was an amazing feeling. Just being there, just letting our kids stand there before them singing and looking so adorable, that was a gift of time I think it was so good for our kids to give. I imagine there was some sort of flood of memories or feelings as we sang the various songs - imagine the memories a familiar song from a baseball game could bring up in a man who is in his 70s, 80s or 90s. It showed me the power of songs, lyrics, and power of memories, even in people whose memories are fading away. We ended by praying with Betty. I'm certain this was only the first of many trips for me and my kids. I think it's just a great experience for everyone, just a snapshot of what it looks like to take time out to love others, which our adorable little ones are so capable of doing. I am so thankful for my sweet group.