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5 Strategies for a Successful Walking Program

Are you ready to start walking for fitness? Follow these fitness tips to help you be successful. Walking is good medicine for any age, especially folks with arthritis. Walking has been proven to help with weight loss, stress control, increasing strength, and balance, as well as reducing pain. To improve your chances of success, try these five walking strategies:

  1. Find a walking buddy. To maintain your program find someone to walk with. A walking buddy adds accountability and safety.
    • Make a walking date with your spouse. It could even be your four-legged best friend.
    • Join a walking group. (Walk with Ease program starts here at Kirby Pines in September).
    • Schedule your walks like you would a doctor’s appointment on your busy calendar.
  2. Add variety to your walk. Don’t let it become routine. Take a different route at a different time of day. Pay attention to the wildlife and flowers. Walk with music to keep in step.
  3. Get good shoes. The only equipment you really need for walking is the right pair of shoes. Look for deep and wide shoe forms made of cloth or smooth leather that are not so tight as to not rub your skin. A good quality running shoe is best. (You can walk in running shoes, but you can’t run in walking shoes). Select shoes without thick treads to prevent catching the bottom of your foot. Make sure shoes are proper width and roomy. Wear high-top athletic shoes for weak ankles. Flexible shoes help reduce stress on the knee while walking
  4. Keep a Record. Record your accomplishments in a journal or calendar. Keeping track of how far, long, when and where you walk can be a real motivator. Begin with an attainable goal like 10 minutes for 3 days each week, then add 5 minutes to each walk the next week, and change your goals as you meet them. A pedometer or walking app on your phone or ”Fitbit” can be a real motivator. Post your accomplishments where you can see them and remember to reward yourself when you meet your goals with a purchase or event. (Avoid using food as a reward)
  5. Throw out the excuses. The first excuse for not exercising is lack of time. If walking is made a priority, people can find the time. Other barriers like bad weather can be solved by walking the halls of Kirby or using the treadmill in the Oasis. If tiredness or achy joints are the problem, be determined to walk; just walk a shorter easier route. Even a 5-minute walk is better than no walk and may even give you energy to go longer. Have a backup plan, if you can’t walk on your usual schedule, make a plan B and reschedule. The more you walk, the more energy and strength you have and feel like walking.

Retired folks taking a stroll.Speaking of walking—Would you like to begin a walking program? If you can you walk at least ten minutes and desire to improve your overall health and well-being, the Arthritis Foundation Walk with Ease Program will teach you how to safely make physical activity part of your everyday life. Walk with Ease offers support, information and tools to help you succeed. We will look at improving our posture and our gait. Balance and endurance are emphasized as well as making friends and learning our way around the hallways. Classes will begin September 17th for nine weeks meeting twice each week on Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Arts & Crafts room at 1:30 and led by Mary Hand who is a trained Arthritis Foundation walking leader. Each meeting begins with a short discussion covering a topic related to exercise or arthritis, followed by a 10- to 40-minute walk that includes a warm-up and cool-down, stretches, and take home exercises that will build strength for walking. We will begin walking inside and with good weather, walking outside will be an option. The program will include a very helpful guidebook, lots of surprises, good camaraderie and special encouragements along the way. For newcomers to Kirby Pines, it’s a great way to meet your neighbors and learn your way around. We are especially looking for people who want to begin an exercise program, as well as graduates of the program who are always welcomed back and encouraged to bring a friend. Contact Life Enhancement Department or sign up in the Oasis.

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Kirby Pines Is Ready For Some Football

Rhetta Watkins pulls a fast one on her husband, Bill, just like Lucy pulling the football away from Charlie Brown

September is always special at Kirby Pines. It is the month we celebrate our anniversary as a community. We come together to remember those before us during our Annual Lighting of the Lake ceremony and we enjoy the changing of the weather and our beautiful campus.

It is also a time to prepare for the upcoming holiday season. Join our Walk with Ease program, beginning the 17th with our Oasis Coordinator, Mary Hand. Head to our Medical Clinic for your annual Flu Shot on the 26th and 27th. Exercise your right to vote early in the City of Memphis’ Municipal Election on the 16th and 17th.

Another thing that makes September special is the start of the college football season. Kirby Pines residents are from all over the country, with a majority from Memphis, who love their University. Therefore, our front cover features Rhetta and Bill Watkins playing around at The Liberty Bowl, Home of the Memphis Tigers. For the back, we asked “Who You Rootin’ For?” and ended up with a crowd! Our fans are from Florida: Carolyn Lifland; UT: Jim & Lois Dazey, Sylvia Statham, John & JoAnn Ginn; Memphis: Marilyn Wray, Faye Betts, Liz Collier, Alice Wherry, Marilyn McCormick, Sheryl Maxwell, Peggy Gatlin, Pat Cavender, Mark Maxwell, Shirley Anderson, Alma Crone, Gene Wainscott and Rhetta & Bill Watkins; Ole Miss: Jean Mauney; Alabama: Berry & Betty Terry, Mal Mauney and George Courington; Mississippi State: David Spell and Charlie Gatlin. We hope all of your teams do well and thank you for showing off your team spirit!

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Celebrating September at Kirby Pines

The month of September is significant to many people for many different reasons. September marks the beginning of the school year, so for many of our retired teachers living here at Kirby Pines, it is a time to reflect back on the years of service they gave to so many students. For others, September signifies the end of summer and the last national holiday (Labor Day) until Thanksgiving. September is filled with individual birthdays, wedding and move-in anniversaries into Kirby Pines Estates. September for Kirby Pines is significant because it is the month we celebrate our anniversary.

Thirty-six years of service to older adults is truly a feat that could not have happened without the support of residents and their families, employees and our Board of Directors. These four groups make up the team that allows Kirby Pines to rank among the largest and more successful life care retirement communities in the country. To celebrate this thirty-sixth anniversary, much work and effort will be put into this year’s Lighting of the Lake ceremony. Each year a theme and color is selected, and this year the theme is Path, and the color is Turmeric. So make your plans now to join us for this celebration on Saturday, September 14th for the food and company that follows the event, and most importantly for the start of another great year at Kirby Pines Estates.

Michael EscamillaMichael Escamilla,
Executive Director,
Kirby Pines

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Such a Small Thing

Girl at school deskOne day a teacher asked her students to list the names of the other students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space between each name. Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say about each of their classmates and write it down… It took the remainder of the class period to finish their assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in their papers. That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on a separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said about that individual. On Monday she gave each student his or her list. Before long, the entire class was smiling. “Really?” she heard whispered. “I never knew that I meant anything to anyone!” and, “I didn’t know others liked me so much,” were most of the comments. No one ever mentioned those papers in class again. She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their parents, but it didn’t matter. The exercise had accomplished its purpose. The students were happy with themselves and one another. That group of students moved on.

Several years later, one of the students was killed in Vietnam and his teacher attended the funeral of that special student. She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before. He looked so handsome, so mature. The church was packed with his friends. One by one those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin. The teacher was the last one to bless the coffin. As she stood there, one of the soldiers who acted as pallbearer came up to her. “Were you Mark’s math teacher?” he asked….. She nodded: “yes”‘ Then he said: “Mark talked about you a lot.” After the funeral, most of Mark’s former classmates went together to a luncheon. Mark’s mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak with his teacher. “We want to show you something,” his father said , taking a wallet out of his pocket. “They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might recognize it.” Opening the billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook paper that had obviously been taped, folded and refolded many times. The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on which she had listed all the good things each of Mark’s classmates had said about him.

“Thank you so much for doing that,”‘ Mark’s mother said. “As you can see, Mark treasured it.” All of Mark’s former classmates started to gather around. Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, “I still have my list. It’s in the top drawer of my desk at home.” Chuck’s wife said, “Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding album.” “I have mine too,” Marilyn said. “It’s in my diary”. Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took out her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group. “I carry this with me at all times,” Vicki said and without batting an eyelash, she continued: “I think we all saved our lists.” That’s when the teacher finally sat down and cried.

She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see him again. Her list of long ago was such a simple thing, but it accomplished so much.

You and I could start our list of friends and family. We could write something kind and truthful about them. And we could get the list to them. Let’s do it now, while there’s time before the opportunity passes. Let’s tell those we love how very special and important they are. Let’s do it now.

Till next time,
Don Johnson, Chaplain, Kirby Pines

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Where Were You July 20, 1969?

Astronaut on the moon with American flagOn July 20, 1969, American astronauts Neil Armstrong (1930-2012) and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin (1930-) became the first humans ever to land on the moon. About six-and-a-half hours later, Armstrong became the first person to walk on the moon. As he took his first step, Armstrong famously said, “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” The Apollo 11 mission occurred eight years after President John F. Kennedy (1917-1963) announced a national goal of landing a man on the moon by the end of the 1960s. Apollo 17, the final manned moon mission, took place in 1972.

JFK’s Pledge Leads to Start of Apollo Program

The American effort to send astronauts to the moon had its origins in an appeal President Kennedy made to a special joint session of Congress on May 25, 1961: “I believe this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to Earth.”

At the time, the United States was still trailing the Soviet Union in space developments, and Cold War-era America welcomed Kennedy’s bold proposal. In 1966, after five years of work by an international team of scientists and engineers, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) conducted the first unmanned Apollo mission, testing the structural integrity of the proposed launch vehicle and spacecraft combination.

Then, on January 27, 1967, tragedy struck at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, when a fire broke out during a manned launchpad test of the Apollo spacecraft and Saturn rocket. Three astronauts were killed in the fire.

Despite the setback, NASA and its thousands of employees forged ahead, and in October 1968, Apollo 7, the first manned Apollo mission, orbited Earth and successfully tested many of the sophisticated systems needed to conduct a moon journey and landing.

In December of the same year, Apollo 8 took three astronauts to the dark side of the moon and back, and in March 1969 Apollo 9 tested the lunar module for the first time while in Earth orbit. That May, the three astronauts of Apollo 10 took the first complete Apollo spacecraft around the moon in a dry run for the scheduled July landing mission.

Timeline of the 1969 Moon Landing

At 9:32 a.m. EDT on July 16, with the world watching, Apollo 11 took off from Kennedy Space Center with astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (1930-) aboard. Armstrong, a 38-year-old civilian research pilot, was the commander of the mission. After traveling 240,000 miles in 76 hours, Apollo 11 entered into a lunar orbit on July 19. The next day, at 1:46 p.m., the lunar module Eagle, manned by Armstrong and Aldrin, separated from the command module, where Collins remained. Two hours later, the Eagle began its descent to the lunar surface, and at 4:17 p.m. the craft touched down on the southwestern edge of the Sea of Tranquility. Armstrong immediately radioed to Mission Control in Houston, Texas, a now-famous message: “The Eagle has landed.”

At 10:39 p.m., five hours ahead of the original schedule, Armstrong opened the hatch of the lunar module. As he made his way down the module’s ladder, a television camera attached to the craft recorded his progress and beamed the signal back to Earth, where hundreds of millions watched in great anticipation.

At 10:56 p.m., as Armstrong stepped off the ladder and planted his foot on the moon’s powdery surface, he spoke his famous quote, which he later contended was slightly garbled by his microphone and meant to be “that’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Retired couple with astronaut Buzz Aldrin
Donn & Tammy Schroeder with Buzz Aldrin 2009

Aldrin joined him on the moon’s surface 19 minutes later, and together they took photographs of the terrain, planted a U.S. flag, ran a few simple scientific tests and spoke with President Richard Nixon (1913-94) via Houston.

By 1:11 a.m. on July 21, both astronauts were back in the lunar module and the hatch was closed. The two men slept that night on the surface of the moon, and at 1:54 p.m. the Eagle began its ascent back to the command module. Among the items left on the surface of the moon was a plaque that read: “Here men from the planet Earth first set foot on the moon—July 1969 A.D.—We came in peace for all mankind.”

At 5:35 p.m., Armstrong and Aldrin successfully docked and rejoined Collins, and at 12:56 a.m. on July 22 Apollo 11 began its journey home, safely splashing down in the Pacific Ocean at 12:50 p.m. on July 24.

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Resident Spotlight: Gerald and Janet Reeves

Gerald and Janet Reeves

Voices Brought Them Together

Janet Gail Lawson was born September 24, 1937 in Detroit, Michigan to Leighton and Jewell Lawson. She was the middle child of three girls. Her father owned three Mobil Oil stations and did quite well for the family when at the age of 37, he decided to become a full-time minister.

He enrolled in Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee, when Janet was five. After that, the family moved every few years, from Henderson to West Helena, Arkansas to Clinton, Oklahoma. The family eventually ended up in Memphis, where Janet enrolled at Treadwell High School. Though she was not thrilled with the move, things got easier when she got to sing in the senior choir as a freshman and met a cute senior named Gerald Reeves.

Gerald Lee Reeves was an only child, born February 7, 1936 in Memphis, Tennessee to Mattie Clarice and Edgar Reeves. His father worked for the Ford Tractor Company. Once Gerald was in high school at Treadwell, he became a frequent visitor at the Lawson home, which made Janet’s father a bit uneasy. It was decided that she would attend Harding Academy in Searcy, Arkansas her senior year. Gerald kept the spark alive, however, by driving to Searcy every other weekend to visit.

Gerald and Janet Reeves
Wedding Day, Sept. ’57

After graduation in 1954 from Treadwell, Gerald joined the Marines serving two years active duty and six years in the reserves. Janet transferred to Memphis State to take prerequisites for medical technology school and to be closer to Gerald. Gerald was also at the U of M, studying engineering.

Janet was accepted to Baptist Medical Technology School and fiercely pursued her dream of becoming a med tech. Two weeks after her graduation and four days before her birthday, she became Mrs. Gerald Reeves. On September 20, 1957, she was the first bride to walk down the aisle of the new Macon Road Church of Christ auditorium, where her father preached.

Gerald was working for an architect, who was working on an Exxon contract, when Exxon offered him a job, even before he completed his college degree. Gerald worked full time and went to school at night, while Janet worked at Baptist Memorial Hospital on Union Avenue, Blood Banking. In February of 1961, their daughter Karen was born and two and half years later in July of 1963, their son Bruce arrived. When the kids were born, Janet took a work hiatus.

In 1967, Exon moved Gerald and the family to Birmingham and to Mobile, Alabama. He played a significant role in developing Esso fuel stations along the Gulf Coast. Janet continued her career here at Baptist Montclair. In 1970, they moved back to Memphis, living in Germantown. They joined White Station Church of Christ where Janet prepared meals for those who were ill and bereaved and taught in the children’s program. Gerald distinguished himself for providing doughnuts and coffee for the joint Heirs Bible class for 40 years.

Painting of a doorway and steps
Janet’s 1st Painting in France

Janet retired in 1996 as a med tech at Baptist Central. Most of her 40-year career was spent there in heart surgery. During those years, she worked on blood coagulation and open heart and heart transplant surgeries. After she retired, they built a house on Pickwick Lake and practically went every weekend. Gerald was still working when Janet discovered her artistic talent. She took drawing lessons, then went with a small group to study art in France for three weeks. She got so good, that a friend who owned a car dealership they had met through church asked her to do a painting he could put in every car he sold. When the details were worked out, she agreed and painted for him for a year and a half. It was none other than Bud Davis. Janet made enough money to build a large art studio in their home.

In 2001 Gerald retired after 41 years at Exxon as a Senior Marketing Engineer. They traveled and spent time enjoying their lake house.

A painting of flowers
A Favorite Painting

In 2017, they sold their home and moved to Kirby Pines. They looked at several communities, but Janet had already been attending the Book Baggers three years prior, and after meeting all the smart, interesting members of that group, she had made up her mind for the two of them. The one stipulation was they wanted the apartment they had seen two years prior in Memphis Magazine and it just happened to be available. It was simply meant to be, it was God’s will.

Since moving in, Gerald enjoys relaxing with their dog Coca and looking at their beautiful view from their balcony. Janet has taken up Mahjong and they both enjoy dancing. By now, you surely have met the Reeves, if not, they are two of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. They even sent me home with homemade cookies after our interview. Yum!

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Changes in Posture as We Age

Retired woman doing yogaThere are several factors that predispose us to have altered posture as we age and each will be considered. But before mentioning each factor, it is important to know that our bones, muscles, and joints are all part of the musculoskeletal system that defines our posture. The backbone or vertebral column is made up of the bones (called vertebra), joint-like spaces called intervertebral discs, and muscles. Age has a pronounced effect on all three and over time the back tends to curve forward resulting in an increasingly stooped posture.

Osteopenia and osteoporosis are medical terms that mean loss of bone density — little to more, respectively. There is loss of calcium in the bones and this produces the loss of density. This begins in women at menopause and in men around age 65. There can be a slight reduction of the size of less dense bones in the spine that could contribute to posture.

The major factor that contributes to spinal curvature is the change in the intervertebral discs. Between each vertebra, there is a gelatin-like cartilage that separates the vertebra. With age, these discs harden and lose flexibility with the inevitable result of compressed total length of the spine and a forward tilt called kyphosis. These aging changes together are called senile kyphosis and are considered a normal part of aging.

Muscle mass also changes with age with a process called sarcopenia. Muscles shrink and may be replace by fat and/or fibrous tissue either of which weakens the muscle. The loss of muscle strength with age contributes to the curvature of the spine.

Another factor that influences statue is the change from a lean body to one with more fat. This process begins at age 30 in both genders. The fat tends to be concentrated at the waist. Men tend to gain weight until about age 55 and women 65. The redistribution of weight contributes to the changes in the spine.

Some of the pathologic processes that can occur with the normal aging are fractures of the bones and arthritis that make the bones and discs more rigid, curved and painful.

Retired man doing yogaAs with most age-related changes, there are things that we can do to prevent or delay the changes. The list below shows factors that we choose and which can improve our posture. Most of the factors are self-explanatory and well known to readers of this column. Exercise is by far the most important factor in maintaining a younger posture because it improves the bone and muscle functions that are essential in maintaining musculoskeletal health. The last item, paying attention to erect posture and not slumping, is easier said than done. One must be mindful of proper carriage.

Factors Affecting Postural Changes With Age:

  • Exercise — the more one regularly exercises the more posture
    can improve.
  • Diet — balanced diet with vegetables, fruit, no red meat leads
    to health.
  • Calcium and vitamin D improve bone density.
  • Limit alcohol use.
  • Do not smoke.
  • Behavioral changes of purposefully maintaining erect posture.

As with so many things in healthy aging, there are constant and immutable changes that occur simply because they are a normal part of the aging process. Erect posture is one of the things that is lost with age, but there are a number of things we can do to delay or minimize the changes in posture as our bones, joints, and muscles are altered by age.

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Take a Spin on our Recumbent Bike

Are you looking for an exercise that helps you lose weight, strengthen core and leg muscles, and easy to use? Try the recumbent bike in the Oasis:

The TRUE CS900 recumbent bike is comfortable, smooth, and quiet. The seat is easy to reach without stepping over the frame making it perfect for seniors or those rehabbing. Recumbent bikes provide gentle exercise to improve muscle strength, flexibility, posture and balance. A recumbent stationary bike provides a safe way to get a solid cardio workout; a good choice for weight loss. Always check with your doctor before incorporating a stationary bike into your exercise regimen.

Features: Our bike is equipped with a reclining seat that is easy-to-adjust and pedals with foot straps. The wheel is in front, not under the rider. Recumbent bikes work the abdominal, gluteal and hamstring muscles, helping to reduce lower back pain in a comfortable indoor climate. Riding a recumbent bike is a natural pain reliever and mood lifter due to the endorphins released during aerobic activity. It’s an excellent calorie burner, too.

Safety: Recumbent stationary bikes are safe for most people when used properly. Be careful boarding and exiting the recumbent bike. Skid-proof shoes (no sandals or slides) should be worn and feet need to stay inside the strap of the pedals while riding the bike. Remember to stay hydrated by drinking water before, during and after a cycling session. If you experience any pain, dizziness, shortness of breath or other signs of discomfort while riding a recumbent bike, stop riding immediately and contact your doctor.

Recumbent BikeHere are some more tips to help you avoid injury or discomfort:

Adjust the seat. When the pedal is at the lowest position, your leg should be almost, but not quite, straight. You shouldn’t have to strain or rock your hips to pedal. Your knees shouldn’t feel crunched when they’re at the top of the pedal stroke. Adjust the seat forward and back with the front bar under the seat and recline with the lever on the left.

Get to know the easy to read display panel. Begin pedaling to turn on the lighted display. (This model is self- generating: no plug) press GO to open settings. Keep pedaling at 30rpms to keep the display lit. The rider can easily change their resistance level on the electronic display (using up and down arrows) choosing from easy rides to challenging simulated uphill rides and everything in between with 30 levels.

Adjust the pedal straps so that your feet feel snug — but don’t let the straps cut off your circulation. The foot straps make riding much more comfortable and efficient than pedaling without them. Don’t pedal with just your toes to avoid foot and calf cramps. Instead, press from the ball of your foot and through your heel as you pump downward on the pedal, and pull up with the top of your foot on the upstroke.

Don’t hunch over to prevent neck pain, keep your chest up, shoulders back, ears in line with your shoulders, and belly button drawn in. Avoid rocking from side to side, or clenching the handlebars or jerking motion.

Get started. Your goal is smooth even peddling with at least 30 revolutions per minute. If you are new to exercise, begin with 10-15 minute workout at level 3 resistance and gradually build resistance levels and your time to 30 minutes.

Recumbent Bike ControlsNext time you are near the Oasis, come in and give the recumbent bike a spin. Make an appointment with Mary Hand. She will be glad to demonstrate the recumbent bike and the other equipment in the Oasis. Remember “Keep it moving.”

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Always Something New at Kirby Pines

The 36th anniversary of Kirby Pines is just a month away, in mid-September. Whether you have been a resident for ten years or just 36 days, you are enjoying first hand the numerous improvements and upgrades to the community over the past years. These improvements and our consistency in delivering services to you, has resulted in Kirby Pines being voted the Memphis Most winner by the Memphis Commercial Appeal year after year.

The Performing Arts Center is now about 17 years old and has hosted artists from our own Kirby Pines Rhythm Band to the acapella group from Yale University to the New Orleans Jazz Ensemble. The Bistro which opened three years ago to offer residents and guests another dining venue is now being copied by other local retirement communities, and our in-house movie theater continues to be a very popular spot to meet for some of the latest movie releases. Soon the Large Card Room will have new tables and chairs, much to the delight of our ever-growing bridge players group.

Of course, our new entrance off of Kirby Parkway has added to the grand lobby entrance into our community.

Regardless of how long you have been a resident, or have been contemplating a move to Kirby Pines, our upcoming 36th anniversary is possible because of the trust you and so many in the Memphis community have in us. On behalf of all employees, thank you for your cooperative spirits throughout the years, and may I suggest you make some time to relax away from the hot August sun.

Michael EscamillaMichael Escamilla,
Executive Director,
Kirby Pines

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A Knock at the Door

Door and door knob

During the Civil War, late at night, a stranger came to the home of the famous preacher, Henry Ward Beecher. Mrs. Beecher heard the knock and went to see who was there. Opening the door slightly she found a tall stranger covered in wraps up to his eyes trying to protect himself against the cold weather. He asked to see Pastor Beecher but refused to give his name.

Pastor Beecher’s life had been threatened many times during those days, so Mrs. Beecher closed the door and returned to their upstairs room. The stranger was left standing outside in the cold.

Henry Ward Beecher
Henry Ward Beecher

When Beecher learned that someone was at his door, standing alone outside, he quickly went downstairs and welcomed the stranger into his home. Sometime later Beecher returned to his wife upstairs. She learned that the man who came to their home to see her husband but who wouldn’t give his name was none other than the President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln. He was facing a crisis and had come to Pastor Beecher for prayer.

At this time of celebrating our country’s national freedom on the Fourth of July, this story has some great points. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our leaders, not only from the White House, but from Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States would realize the crisis we are in and seek counsel and prayer from Godly men and women throughout the nation? We are living in critical times in America and throughout the world and our real help must come for the One mentioned in our Pledge of Allegiance. We are “one nation under God.” We have too long forgotten this. Prayer is not a sign of weakness but of wisdom and recognition that things have gotten beyond our control.

The promise of II Chronicles 7:14 still relates to us today: “If my people, who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from Heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.”

Today’s times may be cold and harsh, like the winter night at Beecher’s home. But this must not keep us from seeking help beyond ourselves.

Do you know who may be knocking at the door? The stranger may at first be unrecognizable, even unknown. The circumstances may seem accidental but they are really Divinely planned. Are we the kind of persons who will draw others to seek us out when they need help? We must prepare ourselves for this unbelievable opportunity! Listen to words from Matthew 25, “For I was hungry, and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me. Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to you? And the King will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to Me.”

May many around us overwhelmed by the growing crisis know they can knock on our door and find a special welcome, a listening ear, and prayer that specifically seeks God’s answer and direction. And may we know there are others around us that we can go to in critical moments and find uplift and help no matter the cost.

Till next time,
Don Johnson, KP Chaplain