Approaching eighty years of age, and fifty years as members of Holy Comforter, it was time to move from our beloved 1919 Sears & Roebuck mail-order home to senior living—easy transition to Ashby Ponds, a half-hour drive back to Holy Comforter—frequent dinners in one of five restaurants, often joined by a growing number of retiring Holy Comforter members. We are "Holy Comforter West."
And then "No Visitors Allowed," "Dining Rooms Closed" (Meals to be delivered to your apartment; stay home!) We are in quarantine!!
A couple of decades ago, our daughter Jennifer advised us of how she begins each day: I pray, 'Lord, send me someone to minister to.'" Inspired, I adopted that as an opening-day prayer.
Freaked out by our stay-at-home order in late May, I pulled out my saxophone and played for awhile on our fourth-floor porch. To my surprise, I was heard across the campus and emails and calls of encouragement began. For three months I have played daily and have quite an audience in the courtyard and through opened windows.
The words of encouragement remind me that this is an answer to my morning prayer, "Lord send me someone to minister to." Our Lord will use us in ways beyond our imagination if we give Him a license to move.
Tom Riley
