“Armloads of blessings.” Don’t you love that phrase? The words are from Psalm 126, and they provide an apt description of the abundance at Columbia Lutheran Home.
Here are 10 things I’ve noticed since my arrival as chaplain for which I give thanks.
- Friendships among residents – They spring up and brighten lives.
- Children’s visits – The kids from Ballard First Lutheran Church’s child care visit once a month. They were here in costume on Halloween.
- Bowling – Residents roll a ball down a special ramp and hit pins at the other end of the room. Very popular–very fun.
- Caring staff – Recently we lost a resident who had lived at Columbia for 24 years. She had the same caregivers for 24 years and they miss her dearly.
- Thanksgiving Meal – Residents and their families sat down to a feast without even leaving the building.
- Partnership – Catholic, Episcopal, Lutheran, and non-denominational chaplains work together to care for residents, as do teams of social workers, nurses, administrators, cooks, maintenance people, housekeepers, and laundry folks.
- Music – One of our residents plays the piano beautifully, and countless groups come in to share their musical gifts. Columbia even hosted a kids’ piano recital recently.
- Views – Columbia’s physical therapy room has one of the best views in the world. Every time I gaze out at the Cascade Mountains, I am awestruck by their beauty.
- Readers and a reading club – The readers among us soak up stories, share recommendations with one another, and bring other worlds to this world.
- Life!
From the lively marching in resident exercise class each morning to podiatrist days to monthly birthday parties–Columbia is never dull.
For so much life, and countless more blessings beyond these ten, we give thanks.
