More Than A Pastor

One of the things that I enjoy doing with my husband the most is visitation. He is a pastor and as far as I am concerned, he is the BEST when it comes to visiting those who find themselves in the hospitals, nursing homes or a shut in. I've seen him get up as early as 4 a.m. to be at a hospital in Nashville before someone has surgery and he is more than willing to sit all day for results. He is extremely dedicated to the calling that God placed on his heart over 30 years ago.

I have had a deep love for the people in the nursing home for as long as I can remember...even as a child. Ken and I like to visit our little town's nursing home together on most Fridays. This past Friday, I witnessed Ken doing something that I have seen him do on countless occasions, but it took my love for my husband to an all new level on this particular day.

We had visited with several of the elderly and our last stop was in the area of the nursing home where some of the residents are kept behind locked door. A lot of these sweet people suffer from dementia and other mental problems...so, they are watched very closely here. We visited with a church member's sister who is on this side of the building and as we were leaving, her roommate began talking to my husband. If I were to venture a guess, I would say this woman is in her late 60's, maybe early 70's...but she began by telling Ken she was 40 yrs old and told him this long story, which we both knew was not accurate...but, I watched my husband stand holding her hand and listening intently as she spoke and then pray with her over this story that was distressing her.

I loved seeing how for those few minutes, my husband the pastor, made this woman feel like everything she had to say mattered to him. He was kind and very sincere with her as he prayed. He probably could have brushed it off and made light of it and a few minutes after we left, she might have forgotten we were even there. Instead, he gave of himself.

My husband is a wonderful pastor...but, to me, and possibly to that precious little old lady...he is way more than a pastor!