From the archives... 01/31/2009
I had sung in this unit many times before. Although it is labelled an Alzheimer day unit, the people are fun, and full of life. They have not let their disease pull them down. At least not from what I have seen.
Some of the workers watched from the back. Some intermingled with the residents, occasionally getting some of them up to dance.
Drinks were passed out to the residents, while they sat and listened to me sing. One lady, fell asleep with her glass in her hand and one of the workers went over and wiped up the liquid with a paper towel.
There was a man off to the side, sitting in a wheel chair, wearing a plaid shirt. He pulled out his harmonica and started blowing into it. I finished the song I was singing and asked him what key his harmonica was in. He was having trouble reading the letter but said it was in "A". Well I asked him to play a song and started to play along on my guitar. It really was in the key of C but hey, that was ok. He tried to play Red River Valley and then it turned into Silent Night. All through my performance I heard him playing softly in the background. That was fine by me.
I asked if there were any requests. A lady in a pink top with a heavy french accent and a wonderful sense of humour, asked me to sing O Canada but to sing it in French. I told her that wouldn’t happen. My poor knowledge of French would make in unintelligible. She laughed.
There was a little old man on the couch in between two ladies. He reminded me of the guy who played in My Favourite Martian. He first looked at me with a very puzzled expression and then started to clap his hands together. He even sang along a little bit on a few songs.
I started singing "I’ll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time" and his eyes seemed to light up. He stood to his feet, very unsure of his balance. He held his hands out in a dancing gesture. I went to him and took his hands and we danced. Well, we mostly stayed in one spot but we did dance. He sang along with me, word for word, his voice barely audible. We swayed in time to the music. Time stood still. He was so precious. It was like there was no one else in the room. I looked at this sweet little man and my heart just wanted to hug him.
What were his memories that were slipping away. Did that song remind him of his wife? Was he a war veteran who maybe heard that song on the short wave radio when he was fighting for our country? I really don’t know. I do know that I was blessed just watching him. I could tell he was blessed that I had centered him out and was paying attention to him.
Sometimes I get discouraged when I don’t get to do "bigger gigs" or travel around the world with my ministry. I have tried to be content in what God has given me. I must confess, sometimes I want more.
I do know this. I am blessed as God has allowed me in places where I know a lot of people maybe would not feel comfortable going. Today it was the Alzheimer unit. God’s ways are not always our ways. I am glad!
I am so glad He knows what He is doing!
As I ask God to help me to lay down my dreams, I am also asking Him to show me His dreams for me. I have been looking for His dreams to drop into my lap and one just did on this afternoon.
When I finished the song, I gave the man a kiss on the cheek and helped him sit down. That little man, who probably has such a hard time remembering the simple things, was used by God today.
I had sung in this unit many times before. Although it is labelled an Alzheimer day unit, the people are fun, and full of life. They have not let their disease pull them down. At least not from what I have seen.
Some of the workers watched from the back. Some intermingled with the residents, occasionally getting some of them up to dance.
Drinks were passed out to the residents, while they sat and listened to me sing. One lady, fell asleep with her glass in her hand and one of the workers went over and wiped up the liquid with a paper towel.
There was a man off to the side, sitting in a wheel chair, wearing a plaid shirt. He pulled out his harmonica and started blowing into it. I finished the song I was singing and asked him what key his harmonica was in. He was having trouble reading the letter but said it was in "A". Well I asked him to play a song and started to play along on my guitar. It really was in the key of C but hey, that was ok. He tried to play Red River Valley and then it turned into Silent Night. All through my performance I heard him playing softly in the background. That was fine by me.
I asked if there were any requests. A lady in a pink top with a heavy french accent and a wonderful sense of humour, asked me to sing O Canada but to sing it in French. I told her that wouldn’t happen. My poor knowledge of French would make in unintelligible. She laughed.
There was a little old man on the couch in between two ladies. He reminded me of the guy who played in My Favourite Martian. He first looked at me with a very puzzled expression and then started to clap his hands together. He even sang along a little bit on a few songs.
I started singing "I’ll Be With You In Apple Blossom Time" and his eyes seemed to light up. He stood to his feet, very unsure of his balance. He held his hands out in a dancing gesture. I went to him and took his hands and we danced. Well, we mostly stayed in one spot but we did dance. He sang along with me, word for word, his voice barely audible. We swayed in time to the music. Time stood still. He was so precious. It was like there was no one else in the room. I looked at this sweet little man and my heart just wanted to hug him.
What were his memories that were slipping away. Did that song remind him of his wife? Was he a war veteran who maybe heard that song on the short wave radio when he was fighting for our country? I really don’t know. I do know that I was blessed just watching him. I could tell he was blessed that I had centered him out and was paying attention to him.
Sometimes I get discouraged when I don’t get to do "bigger gigs" or travel around the world with my ministry. I have tried to be content in what God has given me. I must confess, sometimes I want more.
I do know this. I am blessed as God has allowed me in places where I know a lot of people maybe would not feel comfortable going. Today it was the Alzheimer unit. God’s ways are not always our ways. I am glad!
I am so glad He knows what He is doing!
As I ask God to help me to lay down my dreams, I am also asking Him to show me His dreams for me. I have been looking for His dreams to drop into my lap and one just did on this afternoon.
When I finished the song, I gave the man a kiss on the cheek and helped him sit down. That little man, who probably has such a hard time remembering the simple things, was used by God today.
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