First phone I ever used was a seventies olive green rotary one.
I remember our first phone with buttons, our first answering machine (with a cassette in it), and our first cordless.
This week I have been on the phone much, much more than usual. I have been calling church members who are seniors to check in and offer to pray. It has been a blessing in many ways. Here are ten.
- Older saints reminiscing about wars, earthquakes, and other catastrophes. There is nothing like talking to somebody who has already weathered the storms.
- Being called “sweetie” and “dear” by my beloved 90 year old Christian sisters.
- “I don’t know what a live stream is. I don’t have the internet and I am not gonna get it. But I have Jesus and my Bible.”
- Talking about the birth of babies, family members, even hard struggles like divorce and addiction. There is something reassuring about the normal ups and down of daily life that aren’t centered on the corona virus.
- “My days were written in God’s book before there was yet one of them. Yours were too. Nothing will ever change their number. It has all always been in God’s hands.”
- Being told I am young. This is not true. But for a few seconds it does feel nice to be told this sweet little lie.
- Several asked me what I think about China, or President Trump, or the economy. And I kind of love admitting out loud that my opinions about those matters are just as worthless, unreliable, and vain as everybody else’s. None of those are my thing. I want to talk church, gospel, faith, hope, and love.
- I lost track of how many times I was asked “How are we going to continue financial support to our missionary family getting the gospel around the world?” I hope that is what I care about when I am ninety!
- Also lost track of how many times I was told “I am not afraid to die. Sort of feel the sooner the better. For then I will see Jesus face to face.”
- Repeatedly encountering that humbling and uplifting experience of thinking I was calling a needy person to speak a word of help to them, and realizing I am the needy one and these precious saints are building me up by the words they speak to me.