5:10 PM

Hey, here's a story from a few days ago. I am playing in retirement centers and a couple Alzheimer's homes, and have found the ministry of music FANTASTIC with these folk. Even if they don't know where they are and don't recognize their own children any more, they still remember the songs of their youth!

Someone can be almost comatose, slumped in the wheel chair and totally unresponsive, and a certain song will "get through" and they'll come to life and start singing! That happened in Calgary last year; a woman woke up on "Clementine" and sang us three verses! Amazing.

Okay, the other day I was starting at a place called Sunrise. I sat down at the piano bench, and a little lady rolled over to me, looked up in my face and asked me, "Do you know where Alex is?" It broke my heart; I found out later that was her husband who had been gone for years. Later I was trying to get her to smile as I took leave, and told her Jesus loved her. She just shook her head and said sadly, "I don't understand." It was like trying to communicate in another language.

Whoops, that story was sad and I meant to tell you a funny one. An assistant walked through our music room the other day, a kinda big gal. One of the ladies said to her friend, really LOUDLY, "Boy, she's sure a big one, isn't she?"

I guess the inhibitions go after a bit!

One of my favorite ladies is Bobbi Jo, and I was greeting her and saying she looked a little bit sad that day. She shook my hand and said, "Honey, I'm smilin' on the inside." These precious people are God's children, and I'm glad He hasn't forgotten them like some of their family members have.

What a blessing to be able to sit down and play them oldies out of their memory banks and see them light up like Christmas trees! Have a good day, and go visit someone in a rest home this weekend.

♫♫♪♫♪ from Marg