Time Marches On

He was one of those young boys who put on a uniform, was trained to kill, and went to fight a war on the other side of this world. The war was WW ll. His name is Robert Ingram. I know him as Uncle Bob. After surviving the fighting in Europe and Africa, he came home and married the sister of my wife's mother. All the years I've known him, I've not been able to get him to talk about his war experiences. Uncle Bob is now 92 years old. I performed his wife's funeral ten years ago in Los Angeles, and he asked me to do his also. This man has lived in the same house in Pasadena for over 50 years. The last several years he's lived without sight, with very little hearing, and mobility. They never had children. He has outlived his other family members. Donna and her sister Joyce Lindsey are his family.

Monday, while at the hospital comforting a friend, I received a phone call. Uncle Bob had fallen.
His care person found him on the floor Monday morning unable to get up. She had cooked his dinner on Friday and went home. How long was he there on that floor? From Friday night? He doesn't remember how he fell or how long he was there. When we arrived that evening at the Glendale Memorial Hospital, we found this man dehydrated, confused, fearful, and at times knowing who we were, and at times not.

When we were cleaning his house today, memories, and sadness came over me. Uncle Bob may never again enter his house. He's entered another "change point" in life. We all have these change points. Some are easier than others. Just by being here in this motel room is a change point in our lives also.

We found a care facility for our uncle. It's a great facility. But at best it's not good. Tomorrow will be our last day here. My brother-in-law and us will be visiting him every other week.

Donna's uncle is still there in that tent that has almost completely worn out. Here's the real scarry part. His spirit will never wear out and will exist eternally in heaven or hell. But the preaching of the cross has always been foolishness to him. We're asking our Lord not to require his soul until the blinders are removed from his mind and uncle Bob receives the gift of God...His eternal salvation.