Walking Alone

It is perfect fall weather, crisp, low humidity, clear air. It is hard to believe that soon the whole world will fade, and hibernate in sometimes numbing cold.
When I stopped to see Mom K at the Assisted Living Home a couple days ago, she was in a discussion group in the parlor. I waved, but sat outside the parlor to let her finish. Soon, I heard my name called a little frantically from the leader of the group, and went dashing in. She was trying to keep Mom K upright.
"Why is she standing?" I asked.
"She tried to walk out to you, can you grab her wheelchair!"
I scooted the wheelchair under my crumpling mother-in-law.
"Gert," said the leader, "You should not get up and try to walk without help."

Later back at the room, we were having a pleasant discussion and noting how nice all the workers there are.
"Yes," said Mom K, "But sometimes they make me very angry."
"Why?"
"Every time I see them they tell me I should not walk without help!"
I pointed to her broken arm.
"Does that hurt?"
"Yes," she said.
"Do you want to break something else?"
"No."
"That's why they are telling you not to walk without help," I told her quietly. I can be very patient with her. I don't know why. Patience is not my strong point, though Lord knows, I try.
"Yes but they keep telling me over and over again!"
"Well that's because you keep walking and falling. If you called them every time, they would stop telling you."
"I don't like it," she said.
"I know," I told her, "I wouldn't either. But it is what it is. We love you and we don't want you to fall anymore. So please call for help every time you want to walk."

When I left, i ran into the nurse and we chatted a while. The buzzer she carries when residents alert her went off.
"That's your mother in law!" she said smiling.
I followed her but stayed out in the hall, to listen and make sure that all was well.
"Hi Gert, what do you need?"
"I need help walking to the bed," she said.
"Well thank you so much for calling me!" said Angela.
"Oh, my daughter in law just left and she reminded me to be sure to do that."
I smiled and headed out.

It seems my role in life is the official nag. I have found that people get angry when they are reminded to do what they know they should do, but are not doing. But I am not alone in my nagging. God nags us continually. Over and over again we are chastised for the simplest things He asks of us that we persistently ignore. Be faithful, follow Him even when it is hard, forsake the things of this world, help those who cannot help themselves, honor our parents, be industrious and cheerful in carrying out the roles given us...the list is endless. And in case it is too long a list, He boils it down to just two simple edicts: to love Him with all our heart and mind and soul, and love our neighbor as ourself. I am sure God would prefer He didn't have to remind us, but one look at most of us, and it is clear He needs to.

In a sense, we are all trying to walk without Him...and usually at our peril.

Genesis 6:9,22 (NIV)
This is the account of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. [22] Noah did everything just as God commanded him.



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