Reader adds ideas for hospital help

I love it when I hear from readers, so here's a little something from my e-mail box.

Dear Checklist Charlie,

I appreciated reading your recent article about hospital visits.

I volunteer at Huguley Hospital in Rort Worth and am always interested in a subject that relates to my work.

I enjoyed your many ideas of what to bring when you visit someone in the hospital.

I really had never thought of the photograph idea, but thought that was a wonderful way to bring joy to someone by having familiar pictures to comfort them.

I also thought of a few other good ideas that I would like to share with your readers.

! If someone has been unable to attend church service, they would probably enjoy a bulletin from the services they've missed.

! We have some friends who bring songbooks from the church and sing in the room. I've always thought that I would like fellow Christians to sing with me if I were in the hospital.

Thank you so very much for all of your thoughts. I look forward to your next article.

Sincerely,

Leslie Jones,

Fort Worth

Okay, this is me again. I am so happy Leslie took the time to write me and share her ideas.

I thought they were great.

However, this a truth in journalism moment because it is only fair that I report that Leslie is one of my beloved cousins.

Yes, we were raised by brothers who were both medical doctors, so that explains why we tend to get opinionated when it comes to hospitals.

In fact, it probably explains why we tend to be opinionated in general.

Having opinions is a family trait.

When Leslie read my hospital columns, she asked me why I didn't include more about how comforting prayer is.

Probably because I don't usually view miracles the way other people do.

And that subject deserves its own column.

But, she has a point about prayer, doesn't she?

So here are a few thoughts I can express briefly about prayer.

! I've noticed that when I offer to pray for people, they always say yes.

Whether they are in the hospital or not.

I'm talking about complete strangers.

Does that surprise you as much as it does me?

! I've also noticed that certain people are very effective when they pray.

When I finally get desperate enough to remember to ask them for prayer I am amazed at how quickly I see change developing.

Now, why should that be a surprise?

! Last time I had a close friend in the hospital, we had so many people praying that we lost track of them all.

We felt like it was effective.

I take that to mean that we were praying toward the very thing that God was intending to do.

It is the holidays and we don't like to think about being in the hospital this time of year, so what a weird subject for a column, right?

I have noticed that illnesses don't seem to care what day of the year it is.

If you are reading this as you wait for the doctor to stop by your room, I hope there is comfort for you somewhere in between the lines.

If you are one of the hardworking men and women that keep our hospitals staffed 365 days a year, thank you.

May the Lord return your goodness and kindness back to you by blessing you and your family.

Soon, I will be writing with ideas for simply enjoying the holidays.

Write me with your ideas. I love to hear from readers.

!

Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, is spending this holiday with her family in her very favorite vacation spot in the whole world, beautiful East Texas. She welcomes all lists and comments at CaeKrafve2@aol.com.