Of Baptism and Angel Gifts

Wow, what a week! Actually, two weeks … one preparing for a Thanksgiving celebration and another celebrating. And what a feast it was with family, food, faith and fellowship overflowing like a cornucopia on the table and all over the farm as family and friends gathered to thank God for all His blessings in 2020, even though it was, and still is “2020.”

What I’d like to do is share with you two of the things that made this Thanksgiving so very special for our family: Baptism and Angel Gifts!

A few weeks ago, my nine-year-old grandson, Luke, asked Jesus into his heart. He was so excited he called us at 7:30 the next morning to tell us; we could hear and “feel” his joy, along with that of his parents, even over the phone. There is no greater gift than that for a grandparent! Luke wanted to be baptized, and so his parents made the proper arrangements and 19 members of Luke’s family and friends gathered around the baptism pool at Southside Baptist Church yesterday morning as Senior Pastor, Brother Jerry Walls, gave him a proper “dunking.” It was an experience and testimony we’ll never forget. Afterward, we all went out to celebrate with a wonderful Sunday brunch. So, we started the day with baptism.

Then we proceeded to the Visiting Angels® office to decorate a Christmas tree and prepare some “Angel Gifts!” Normally, (for the last several years at least), we gather at this time of year for a Caregiver awards banquet to recognize and give awards to our Caregivers who so selflessly serve our middle Georgia seniors all year long; they are the most compassionate, caring group you’ve ever met, and it is an honor to be able to recognize them for their service.

But this year, being 2020 and filled with COVID anomalies, we decided that there was just too much risk for that kind of gathering, especially since our whole purpose is to care for the most COVID-vulnerable among us, our seniors. So what to do in place of the banquet we’ve been planning and saving for all year?

We decided to take a page from the traditions of Canadian Blue Bird where we lived and worked for nine years. My sons, David and William, who now run Visiting Angels, were just kids at the time, and they remembered with great fondness the annual Christmas party we held for all the employees whose children were presented with age-appropriate gifts. Everyone loved it.

And so that’s exactly what we decided to do this year instead of the recognition banquet. The office staff had already purchased and wrapped all the gifts and labeled them for each of the children. All we (including my grandchildren) had to do was decorate the office tree to receive all the presents for our caregivers’ children. Truly, it is more blessed to give than to receive!

Baptism and Angel Gifts: what a way to cap off the Thanksgiving week!

Thanks for reading All About Seniors … see you next week.

Bill Milby is a Director of Visiting Angels® of Central Georgia, a non-medical, living assistance service for seniors. If you have questions or comments about this column, you can reach him at william.mercylink@gmail.com or search for us at https://www.facebook.com/VisitingAngelsofCentralGA/.

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