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{Straight From the Heart} *Good, Right, Perfect* 6/22/00
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Good, Right, Perfect
By: Julie Jordan Scott
My friend was wheeled into the busy Emergency Room at the
local county hospital on a gurney. Her neck was stabilized with a
brace with tape across her forehead and chin. "Julie, the voices
told me to hurt myself," she paused and caught her breath. "I
wish I hadn't done it."
I worked for County Mental Health as a Deputy Public
Guardian for severely mentally ill people. My clients are
appointed my services by the Court when they are found to be
unable to voluntarily accept assistance for their food, clothing or
shelter due to their mental illness. Most of their families are no
longer in the picture by the time they get to me, as they have
been consumed by the reality of having a family member who has
schizophrenia. My clients have usually failed in treatment
repeatedly.
Unlike the clinicians in my department who I work alongside, in
my special role I am fortunate that I can consider my clients as
colleagues or friends. It helped a lot as I looked into this client's
eyes and softly said, "I am here now." I took her hands and held
them in mine. "I am with you. You will be alright." She had
thrown herself off an outdoor second story staircase, landing on
the patio. She was considerably battered and bruised, bleeding
from her head and her shoulders especially.
Oftentimes I use unconventional thinking in how I perform my
job, not sticking to the norms of the local mental health community
I asked my client, "When you were sick and a little girl, did your
mom sing to you?" She nodded weakly and I asked, stroking her
hair, "What did she sing?" and she replied "Frere Jacques". Now
my recollection of the French version is NOT that great, so I sang
it as best I could and then sang the English. She joined me when
we sang the chorus. Getting brave, I started singing "Amazing
Grace." She sang right along. I was completely focused on
helping her to feel better. At one point I caught a nurse looking
in the window, the room was not sound proof so our singing
could be heard in other parts of the Emergency Room, but I did
not care. I knew it was helping my client focus. She was not
thinking of the pain, instead she was remembering her Mom
singing to her.
I prayed with her and for her, for her pain, for her fear, for
the decrease in the voices that wage battle with her daily. We
then sang "How Great Thou Art" with reckless abandon. I adore
that hymn! So did my client. So what if she did not have a great
voice. For a few moments the pain did not feel quite so bad. And
for the other county employees who filled the rest of the ER
wondering why a County Social Worker is singing hymns with one
of their patients? For them, I am reminded of Romans 12:2. "Do
not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing
of your mind that you might know what is the good and right and
perfect will of God."
The world says, check your Christianity when you walk into the
Government workplace. My client was in pain. She was a
Christian. Through praying with her and for her as she was in
pain I was lead to sing with her. As I sang with her I felt renewed,
refreshed...she and I were both transformed a little. Who cares
what the other County employees may think? My first Employer
is God. He put me in this position to minister to those who so
very badly need ministry. Singing away my clients pain was the
good, right and perfect will of God.
Julie Jordan Scott (c) 2000
julieja@lightspeed.net
Send Julie an email and let her know what you thought of her story!
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Julie Jordan Scott is a Life Purpose Coach and Author of "Don't Let
it Take Two Death Threats: My Journey to Living Passionately
Everyday". For free passion resources and to explore powerful
opportunities for your future, please visit
http://www.5passions.com or write mailto:julie@5passions.com
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Thought For The Day:
"Some minds are like finished concrete - thoroughly mixed and
permanently set."
Verse for the Day:
"Only by pride cometh contention: but with the well advised is wisdom."
Proverbs 13:10
Kid's Thought For The day:
"If you start out afraid of the dark, pretty soon you'll be afraid of
the dusk too."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"There are hundreds of different toilet training methods - probably
because none of them work."
(Bruce Lansky)
Coach's Thought For The Day
"Human beings are born with two basic fears. One is the fear of loud
noises, and the other is the fear of falling. All other fears are learned."
(Ronald Rood)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"How long a minute is depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on."
_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business)
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video
we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
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Video Imagery
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