Coventry Cathedral - Beattitude #3

For all those waiting for my next Beattitde from Coventry Cathedral, here you go:

You're blessed when you care. At the point of being 'care-full' ~ you will find yourselves cared for

It's funny, being a 'pastor' doesn't disappear just because you've chosen a different path for a time. It wasn't until, I wasn't in the position anymore, that I truly understood how much my heart cared and cares for every single person that I looked after with God's permission.

When I was in England, the last 17 days were spent in hospital. I had hurt my back dreadfully, and was on the Orthepaedic Ward in the hospital. For the most part, I was in a private room, but toward the end I was admitted to a ward room. (6 beds, 3 on each side). One night the elderly lady across from me, was crying and I went over and held her hand and stroked her hair until she had calmed herself. I talked with her off and on for the few days she had left in the hospital, and at the end gave her a small gift to let her know that I had enjoyed her company. On the morning she left, she came over to my bed to give me a hug. She told me that she didn't have a little gift for me, but that she still wanted to give me something to remember her by - She explained that she had 2 sons (ages 61 and 63) and an estranged daughter...and all male grandchildren. This lady then said that if she had ever been blessed with a grand-daughter that she would have hoped that she might have been a little like me, and that she would have given that grand-daughter what she now wanted to give me. At that moment she slipped a gold ring off her finger. It has 4 sapphires and 3 diamonds and she put it on my finger. I protested and she insisted. I'm glad because every time I look at my finger, I am reminded of a life that I've touched and have the capacity to do so. I realized that I didn't need a title or a special anointing to be caring and compassionate, I just had to keep being me...and that was and is truly enough.

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