His Eye Is On the Sparrow

This is not the blog posting I had planned to write for May but as some of you know, the resident I have visited for four years, Carolyn, died this past Saturday, May 2^nd.   Carolyn was diagnosed with colon cancer almost two years ago.  The whole journey of these last few years has made me think how God always puts the right people in your life when you need them. Sometimes we do not recognize these people and miss the opportunity to accept what these people are, God’s helpers. 

A group of some of Betty Brewer's Angels Volunteers

When I met Carolyn she had recently moved to an Assisted Living Facility. She was completely alone, having lost touch with her relatives years ago.  I really feel God introduced Carolyn to me through Betty Brewer’s Angels.  There is no doubt in my mind that he put me by her side after her colonoscopy and the doctor abundantly announced to her that she had cancer. Put me by her side after surgery to talk to the surgeon when he was making a decision if he should refer her to a cancer specialist or not.  Put me by her side when that cancer specialist came in the hospital for the first time to discuss her treatment. Put me by her side for every one of her treatments, and put me there by her side when she took her last earthly breath on Saturday.  No one can convince me this was happenstance.  There definitely was a Divine plan in place.  

 

Carolyn wanted to have fun right up to when the cancer made it impossible. During this time we wore funny hats to the cancer center to help cheer up the

other patients.  We had parties for every occasion at the facility she lived, and yes we had quiet moments contemplating what came next.

As our Lord often does, he did not just have one plan. He uses every circumstance in a multi-tiered plan to make our lives better.  Yes, He did put me there for Carolyn but He also put her there for me too.  Carolyn asked me last week if I would remember her after she died.  Yes, Carolyn, I will always remember you because you see I learned a lot from you. I am still a work-in-process but I learned and was reminded of some of those things through my relationship with you. I was reminded to ALWAYS consider that we

Carolyn Easter 2015

should not judge others because we have no idea what that person’s life story is. She would often remind me and others of this when she heard someone being judgmental of others. I learned we need to be grateful for what we have, not what we do not have.  I learned one can laugh and make the most of life during challenging times. I learned to live in the moment. I learned to think of other’s lives and not just focus on my personal trials. I learned how important friends are.   And lastly in Carolyn I had a great example of how to be brave.  I told her this past week how brave I thought she was and her response was “I am trying to be.” I assure you she was more than “trying to be.”   

 

Carolyn’s favorite hymn was “His eye is on the Sparrow”. It soon became a favorite of mine too.  First verse and refrain from that song:

“Why should I feel discouraged, why should the shadows come,
Why should my heart be lonely, and long for heav’n and home,
When Jesus is my portion? My constant Friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me;
His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me. 

Refrain: I sing because I'm happy, I sing because I'm free,

              For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me."

At the end of the song Carolyn ALWAYS said the same thing, “You know, Charyll, if he cares about a little bird, you know he cares about us.” 

Yes, Carolyn, God IS involved in the details of our lives.  All His gifts are always there for us. It is our job to recognize them. 

Thank you to Betty Brewer who God first told of the idea of establishing one-on-one relationships with people in long term care facilities and for her sharing that idea with me and others before she died.

Thank you for all our wonderful volunteers who despite their own personal trials go week after week to make someone else’s life brighter.

Thank you to all our donors, supporters, and behind-the-scene volunteers. You all make it possible for Betty Brewer’s Angels to continue. 

Thank you, Carolyn, for teaching me so much. 

Thank you, Lord, for Always being by our side.  

If you are interested in hearing more about the work Betty Brewer’s Angels do or are interested in being a part of our volunteering team, please leave a comment on this blog or contact me at 614-309-4677.