Most people are probably still recovering from the holiday buzz of Christmas. They are relaxing in front of a fire in their new fuzzy slippers, reading their favorite book and drinking a cup of coffee. They are thankful to have visited with family, whether they live close by or states away. They are smiling at the array of gifts they received and the ones they gave to others.
I have discovered gifts come in all forms. I’ve been privileged to give and to receive. On Dec. 14, I took off work to finish up my holiday shopping. As I headed west, I made a stop at the Lutheran Good Shepherd Nursing Home in Concordia. I walked into the room of World War II veteran Vernon Meyer. He was sound asleep. I gently tapped his shoulder and he pretended to be awake. He nearly fell out of his chair when he realized I was standing before him.
kAm'6C?@? 2?5 x 3642>6 7C:6?5D H96? 96 D92C65 9:D D6CG:46 DE@CJ H:E9 >6 J62CD 28@] (6’G6 <6AE :? 4@?E24E 6G6C D:?46] w6 >256 >6 D>:=6 2D 96 AF==65 @FE 4=:AA:?8 27E6C 4=:AA:?8 @7 DE@C:6D 96 <6AE E92E x HC@E6] x H2D D9@4<65 H96? 96 2D<65 >6 23@FE @FC ?6HDC@@> 3@H=:?8 6IA6C:6?46] w6 8@E 2 <:4< @FE @7 C625:?8 %C2G:D |4|F==6?’D E2<6 @? 9@H 92C5 :E H2D 7@C >6 E@ 7:?5 E96 C:89E 3@H=:?8 32==] q67@C6 x =67E[ x 2D<65 2 H@>2? 2E E96 7C@?E 56D< :7 D96 H@F=5 E2<6 @FC A:4EFC6] w6 >6?E:@?65 9@H 96 5@6D?’E D>:=6 7@C A9@E@D[ 3FE 2D J@F 42? D66[ 96 5:5 7@C >6] x C68C6E x 5@?’E 92G6 A:4EFC6D @7 >6 H:E9 2== E96 G6E6C2?D x’G6 :?E6CG:6H65 @G6C E96 A2DE `b J62CD] x’> ECJ:?8 E@ C:89E E92E HC@?8 ?@H]k^Am
kAmq24< :? ~4E@36C[ x DFCAC:D65 %@?J v2==2896C[ E96 4@>>2?56C @7 E96 c_ U2>Aj g[ 3J ?@>:?2E:?8 9:> 7@C a_`a {:6FE6?2?E v@G6C?@C’D '6E6C2?D $6CG:46 pH2C5] w6 D9@@< 9:D 9625 :? 5:D36=:67 2?5 =@@<65 >6 DEC2:89E :? E96 6J6 2?5 D2:5[ “x H:== 86E J@F 324<P” x 925 ?@ :562 H92E H2D FA 9:D D=66G6] w6 :?D:DE65 E92E x 2EE6?5 E96 s64] a_ >66E:?8 @7 E96 c_ U2>Aj g] {:EE=6 5:5 x <?@H H92E H2D 23@FE E@ 92AA6?]k^Am
kAmx? 7C@?E @7 2 4C@H5 @7 gc @? 2 G6CJ D?@HJ 52J[ 96 2??@F?465 '@:EFC6 bbb H6?E 2== E96 H2J E@ E96 ?2E:@?2= 9625BF2CE6CD E@ C6BF6DE E92E x 36 ?2>65 2? 9@?@C2CJ >6>36C @7 E96 c_ U2>Aj g] x 4@F=5?’E 36=:6G6 >J 62CD 2?5 E96 E62CD 76== 5@H? >J 4966<D] x ?6G6C D6CG65 :? E96 >:=:E2CJ] (92E @? 62CE9 5:5 x 5@ E@ >2<6 E9:D C@@> 7:==65 H:E9 H2C G6E6C2?D 7:89E 7@C >6n %@ <?@H E96J E9:?< @7 >6 2D @?6 @7 E96> :D D:>A=J @G6CH96=>:?8] x 2> ;FDE 2 H@>2? H9@ =:<6D E@ =:DE6? 2?5 =62C? 9:DE@CJ 7C@> E9@D6 H9@ =:G65 :E] x ?6G6C 5C62>65 :E H@F=5 >62? D@ >F49 E@ D@ >2?J A6@A=6] %@?J 567:?:E6=J 244@>A=:D965 9:D >:DD:@?[ x’== E6== J@F E92E] x 92G6 ?@ :562 9@H E@ D2J E92?< J@F]k^Am
kAmx E9:?< @?6 @7 E96 >@DE AC64:@FD 8:7ED x’== C646:G6 E9:D 9@=:52J :D 92AA6?:?8 (65?6D52J] |J DE6A52F89E6C pD9=6J :D 9625:?8 @G6CD62D H:E9 E96 pC>J’D efE9 $:8?2= q2EE2=:@? WtIA65:E:@?2CJX E@ zFH2:E] $96 H:== 36 D6CG:?8 2 ?:?6\>@?E9 56A=@J>6?E 2?5 H:== 96=A AC@G:56 4@>>F?:42E:@?D 7@C @E96C F?:ED @G6C E96C6] x <?@H pD9=6J 5@6D?’E C62=:K6 96C r9C:DE>2D 8:7E E@ FD :D 7C665@>] %9:D 8:7E 42?’E 36 3@F89E :? 2 DE@C6 2?5 HC2AA65 H:E9 2 AC6EEJ 3@H] xE’D 2 8:7E E92E @?6 7:89ED 2?5 DF776CD 7@C] (96E96C D96 H:== D66 2?J 24E:@? C6>2:?D E@ 36 D66?[ 3FE E92E 5@6D?’E >2EE6C] %96 :>A@CE2?E E9:?8 :D D96 :D 3C2G6 6?@F89 E@ 2?DH6C E96 42== E@ 5@ H92E6G6C :E E2<6D E@ >2<6 E9:D H@C=5 2 >F49 D276C A=246] $96 :D 2 C6>:?56C E92E E96 >:=:E2CJ ?6G6C D=66AD] %96J 4@?E:?F6 E@ =@@< @FE 7@C FD ac 9@FCD 2 52J[ D6G6? 52JD 2 H66< 2?5 6G6? 9@=:52JD] x 4@F=5?’E 36 >@C6 AC@F5 @7 96C 2?5 2== E96 @E96CD H9@ 92G6 D6CG65 E9:D 8C62E ?2E:@?]k^Am
kAmv:7ED 5@?’E 92G6 E@ 4@>6 7C@> 2 DE@C6 E@ 36 DA64:2=] %96 >@DE AC64:@FD 8:7ED 4@>6 :? A24<286D E92E 42?’E 36 HC2AA65]k^Am
