The warmth of the evening crept in as Steve Kremer started the fellowship with the song I JUST STARTED LAYING MY BURDENS DOWN. It continued with prayer, a reading from Isaiah 49:14-16, and meditation. A special blessing of our hands, our care giving hands, followed with the song HOLY GROUND.

Marge Thurin(center) gave a reflection on the thirty years she gave care to her late husband David. She found that loneliness is something the creeps in and out of your life. Consequently, you need to take care of yourself, physically and emotionally.

We also need to remember that caregiving takes a village to help with energy, wisdom, strength, and spirit. SJA is our spiritual village. It nurtures, sustains, and offers us growth. Our faith teaches us we are not alone and we can transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. The SJA village helped Marge in numerous ways over the years. The biggest was when a surgery was available for David that insurance did not cover. Many in the Village helped to make this happen. It extended David’s life by five years, five improved years.

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Nancy Lynch says, "Joy is being a wife, Mom of fourteen, eight with varying disabilities and living at home, Grandma of thirteen, and Great Grandma of three. Serenity is listening and watching the ocean, alone, at our home on Maui. Passion is friends, photography, reading, swimming and children." Nancy can be reached at nalynch@aol.com.

Marge related many seemingly small contributions, also. A man walked up to her after Mass and said, “What can I do for you?” She was ready and responded with “I would like to attend my book club”. From that day forward, she was able to attend and this man stayed with David. Small things mean a lot, such as a woman that comes up each Sunday, holds her hands, and says, “Have a good week.” This has continued even with David’s death. It gives her a special feeling.

Caregiving is a privilege. Remember you are able to minister to body, soul, and spirit in continuous and intimate ways. It is an opportunity to be “hearts and hands”.

The service ended with a prayer called HOPE by Vaclav Havel and the song A PARTING BLESSING. Caring fellowship and refreshments completed our warm, pleasant, compassionate evening, leaving us with hopes for another.