Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Shelley Loves Walmart

 

A memory from 2019.

 


Shelley loved Walmart shopping trips when she called home an assisted living facility. She lived there from October, 2019 to July, 2020, and she loved going to Walmart with the group. 

The facility took the residents twice a month. I took her at various times in between, but she loved going on the bus with her “peers” as she called the group. 

I guess it gave her a sense of freedom and independence to go with the others and not me.  However, she loved going with me, too. We shopped and then ate lunch at a local restaurant. At first, I wondered why she walked behind me instead of beside me. I came to realize that this is part of the disease. Her peripheral vision was declining.

There were times when the facility had no bus driver, and the tenants made lists for one facilitator to get the supplies. The residents hated this. Each one enjoyed the outing.  On these instances, Shelley complained the loudest to me, and at that time, she could still voice her complaints to the director.

How I wish she could still do this!  As I write this memory, it is March, 2022. Three years have gone by since she needed the items listed below. She can no longer express what she wants and has no clue as to what she needs.

I sent the list of supplies below to Stewart, the man who was the designated shopper. Can you imagine getting lists made by 35 occupants?  Even if each list had half the items as Shelley’s did, keeping the money and goods separate had to be a huge chore.

Back in those days, I bought Dr. Suess books for her, although at that stage in her dementia, she couldn’t read, but a friend would read to her.  She loved perfumes. She insisted her room had to smell good, and so did she.

I kept a small Christmas tree in her apartment. We decorated it according to seasons.  This list was made around Easter time.

 To the Walmart shopper

For Shelley’s Walmart Trip March 12, 2019

) Yogurt

2)  Boost

3)  Resee’s peanut butter cups

4) Peanut M & M’s.

5) Dr. Seuss Book

(She already has the one fist, Two fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish book)

6) Plug in refills to make the room smell good. (I’m not sure of the brand she already has. If you can’t find it, buy a new one)

7)  Can of Room spray to make room smell good.

8) Spray cologne for ladies to smell good.

Toilet paper.

1       Maybe A few decorations for her Easter tree to hang on branches. Crosses, etc. If you don’t find any, that’s okay.

Thanks, Stuart!  You do a good job, and I appreciate it!

Gay


When I found this list, I found myself longing for those days when she could call me on her iPhone, or go with me to the store.  

I'll always remember the fun we had at Walmart.

Sunday, March 6, 2022

Thessaloniki and Ukraine

 



In preparation for my Sunday morning Bible study in 1 Thessalonians, I checked to see if the ancient city of Thessalonica still exists. It does, but it’s now called. Thessaloniki, and it is the second-largest city in northern Greece. The access to several waterways makes it a major trade route. The Danube, located to the north of Thessaloniki, is the second largest river in Europe. The Danube begins in Germany and empties into the Black Sea in Ukraine.

 

While I looked at the map, I was excited to see how close Thessaloniki is to Ukraine. The distance is about 688 nautical miles.

 

History has it that Apostle Andrew, brother to the Apostle Peter, traveled to the current Ukraine. Legend says he arrived in Kyiv around AD 55. The Apostle Andrew didn’t travel nautically, so it must have taken him months to get there. He preached as he went. The Radziwill Chronicle reports he built a cross and predicted a great Christian city would exist there. Stories of Andrew’s missionary visit grew extensive in history.

Hmmm. Is his journey legend or fact?

Andrew is known as one who was always bringing people to Jesus.

Jesus told his disciples to “go and make disciples of all nations…” Matthew 28:16-20. NIV

And they did.

The 18th-century Church of St. Andrew is supposedly constructed where Andrew’s cross was located on the hill dominating the overlook to the city of Kyiv, and current Ukraine reports say about 60% of the country is Christian.

Ukraine is fighting for her life these days, but the tiny nation’s fight with Russia is one to make the history books. Putin, Russia’s president since 2012, wishes to make Ukraine a part of Russia once more. Russia is a Goliath to that little Ukraine, but no one can deny the mighty patriotism of the Ukrainians.

Peoples of the world are divided in thought about what to do with these global crises. No one wants WWIII. One of the students in my Bible study asked, “Why didn’t the president of Ukraine just sign the country over to Putin? None of the killing would have taken place?”

Free people wish to remain free.  That’s why.

Would we in America want to sign away our nation? Our freedom?

I hope not. But then, these days, I’m not sure. It seems to me there are too many who welcome socialist policies.  Contemporary Americans have always known freedom and have no idea what living in a socialist or communist country entails.

Ukraine hasn’t always been free. Their citizens know the difference and are willing to die to keep what they had.

I hope the Apostle Andrew is the one who brought Christianity to Ukraine. He, or whoever did, will have many rewards for preaching the Gospel in distant lands.  I’m happy there are no tears in heaven. Andrew would be sad up there if he knew what was happening to the citizens of Ukraine.

Pray for Ukraine.

 

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#Ukraine



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