Glory to God.

I just returned home from Christmas caroling with the youth group that I serve in.  It is something that we do every year and probably the 5th or 6th year that I have gone. The night began up at church where we divided into six groups and then traveled to as many nursing homes around the area.  Nursing homes tend to be uncomfortable places for a lot of people.  Ever since becoming a physical therapist, I have spent a great deal of time in nursing homes, so for me, I feel very much at ease.  It is familiar.  I do my best to encourage the youth {and my own children} to interact with the people and to talk and ask questions of them while we spend time there.  The residents are often lonely and can feel forgotten.  I have found that they love the excitement that children and young adults bring.  This would be an opportunity to bless and care for the widows in our midst.  So, while spending time in a nursing home is not unusual for me, tonight would be very different.

The group that I was assigned to lead consisted of about 15-20 high school seniors and two other adult leaders.  When we arrived at the facility, we were told that several residents had been brought into a common sitting area so that we could sing for them all together.  The nurse then pulled me aside to ask if several of us would mind singing for a woman in her room once we had finished caroling with the group.  She was in hospice care the nurse added.

And she explained this may be her last night.

I told her absolutely.

We would consider it an honor.

After singing with the residents for about 30 minutes, I found the nurse to tell her that a smaller group of us were ready to sing for the woman that she had mentioned.  We followed her while the others stayed behind to visit with the residents.

The nurse led us down the hallway to a quiet room.

Seven of us entered a small room to see a frail woman lying alone.
The nurse went to her side.

Her eyes followed us.

We watched as the nurse kept the woman comfortable with a damp washcloth to her lips.

We had decided to sing Oh Holy Night.

And we did.

Her breaths were shallow, but her eyes remained on us.

After we finished, we asked if she would like one more song.

She did not respond, but I felt as though her eyes were asking us to stay.

I turned to our small group and whispered to do Angels We Have Heard On High.

We began and it was really beautiful.

Our little hodge-podge group was bringing graceful harmonies to this room in ways that could not have come from ourselves.  I was stirred by its beauty.

All the while we were singing, I found myself praying.

I was completely moved by the opportunity to share this time with her, singing praises to my King, in what may have been her last night.

And then just as we finished the second chorus of Gloria in excelsis Deo,

she took her last breath.


She was gone.


Just like that.  She was gone.


The nurse made eye contact with me and confirmed what I already knew.  I have no idea how I knew, but I did.  I turned to the teens and explained what happened and we quietly exited.

As we left the room, I saw the name plate near her door.

Her name was Gloria.

The last words we sang were Gloria in excelsis Deo.


Glory to God in the highest.


Everyone in that room tonight was powerfully impacted by what we experienced.

A memory that will be forever seared in my mind and theirs.

We were given the privilege to sing Gloria into eternity.

The Lord literally allowed us to usher her toward His throne, while we sang Glory to His Name.

I have no idea why the Lord allowed us to be a part of that tonight, but I am grateful.


The nurse later shared with me that Gloria had been fearful of death all day because she felt far from the Lord.  It was the reason the nurse had asked us to sing.

I pray that we brought peace.  The peace of God.  I pray that God's truth was clear through the lyrics that we chose.  I pray that she had trusted in Jesus and was welcomed home.

What an unbelievable opportunity.

Life is fragile.
Eternity is real.

I pray that everyone I know and love is ready to stand before the Lord.

There is a choice to be made here that will forever impact eternity.

May Jesus be the Lord of your life.  And mine.
Salvation is found in Him alone.


Gloria in excelsis Deo.
Glory to God in the highest.