“Let’s just say the first few minutes were awkward,” our 15-year-old daughter shared with us the other day.
 
She was recounting her visit last week—alongside 7 of her cousins at her annual Grammie Camp (no parents allowed)—to a nursing home in the western suburbs of Chicago. Alongside field trips to waterparks and museums and master classes in various subjects (this year was organ and pickleball!), Soren’s mom always plans at least one service-oriented day.
 
As the grandchildren—ages 6 to 19—stepped into the large cafeteria, they saw dozens of elderly residents, most in advanced stages of Alzheimer’s, dementia, and other ailments. The sheer number of elderly, combined with the pungent hospital-like smells, left the kids motionless at first. Many were in wheelchairs, and at least one woman was on a stretcher.
 
Grammie, 77, a self-proclaimed “people person” who exudes joy and who has made visits with the elderly a part of her life for many decades, quickly noticed the kids’ hesitation. “Just sit down like this,” she said, smiling and taking her place across from the nearest resident, reaching across to embrace both of his hands, “introduce yourself, and ask them how their day is going!” “Hi, I’m Ginger…,” she said.  
 
Within minutes, three of the older kids started taking turns playing the piano in the corner—and the atmosphere shifted. Then, the cousin crew took their first steps forward, having little visits. As the eight of them fanned out across the room—instant celebrities—ripples of smiles and delight accompanied their every step. “It got easier and easier,” our daughter shared, “and then we lost track of time.”
 
This year’s camp theme—emblazoned on the colorful t-shirts Grammie has made for each camp, 17 years and running—was “Radiate & Shine.” The camp verse, which the kids memorize and say each day of camp, was Mt. 5:10, “Just so, your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your heavenly Father.”
 
“Show, don’t tell” comes to mind as we reflect on this special outing our kids had with their Grammie and cousins last week. Grammie did not “tell” her grandchildren about the merits of serving the forgotten elderly of our society. She did not sit them down for a sermon about volunteering, service, or hospitality (Level 5 of your Trinity House, Service & Hospitality, and our focus with you in this 5^th week of the month).
 
Instead, she showed them. She piled them into the minivan, drove a few miles to the home she visits regularly as part of a little choir (they sing hymns requested by the residents), and strolled in with them. There was no “volunteer orientation session” and no form to sign. And there are nursing homes like this in every town.

Radiate and shine. Let your light shine. Show, don’t tell. And in the words of our daughter, “It got easier and easier, and then we lost track of time.”
 
What if every Christian family made little one-hour visits like this part of their monthly or quarterly calendar? Reflecting on our kids’ recent experience, we are asking this question of ourselves, knowing how easy it is for us to view our busy schedules and think, “We don’t have time.”
 
But Grammie shows how you just need to make time, show up…and the Holy Spirit sorts out everything else.