Aging

The Owner’s Promise

/ pastorpete51 / Leave a comment 


My store stands nearly empty
There is little on the shelf
Just an ounce or two of patience
Though there’s several pounds of self

The old ceiling paint is peeling
There are scratches on the floor
But hope still welcomes people
Just outside the open door

Though some say I should give up
Yet a hope within me burns
For I trust the owner’s promise
That tomorrow He returns


Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. Luke 12:37 ESV

The Owner’s Promise 
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2026
All rights reserved

"That time of year thou mayest in me behold
When yellow leaves, or few or none do hang"
William Shakespeare - Sonnet 73

The Cardinal’s Tune

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
Lord this world seems so big
And I’m here so small
And to this song that you gave me
No one’s listening at all

But when I looked out the door
To a tree down my street
I saw one red cardinal
At the top take his seat

And with all of his might
He sang out God’s tune
Then flew off in a hurry
He still had so much to do!


The Cardinal's Tune by Peter Caligiuri © 2021 All rights reserved

Counting Blessings

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The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside the still waters. Psalm 23:1-2 ESV

The Lord is not only my shepherd He is a good shepherd for everyone who comes to Him and He fills our lives with blessings. It may be that having spent a lifetime learning that reality is why “Count Your Blessings” is one of the all time favorites at the Nursing Home meetings I lead every week. You might ask how people sitting in wheel chairs and often without any family or friends can sing about being blessed. It could be that because they are in a place where neither money nor position matter any longer they see more clearly  what is truly a blessing. They have a perspective that includes delighting in different kinds of blessings.  Featured Image -- 18926

Walking into most rooms, you will notice that usually one of the personal items on the nightstand or hung on the wall includes a photograph of their family. Whether it is a faded wedding picture from many years ago or a more recent shot of children and grandchildren it is a reminder of blessings of a lifetime to be thankful for. Then if you stay for a longer  visit some people will begin to show you hand written birthday cards from a grandchild or a box of candy from a friend. Stay a bit longer and they will tell you how much they appreciate you coming by to give them some of your time. Small blessings we pass by in our hurry to go places are instead savored by folks whose life is now lived day by day.

Last of all if you peek into the corner in some rooms you will often see a Bible, a cross or their rosary beads. Today; though the journey has not lead to where they ever imagined they have found that the greatest blessing of all does not lie anywhere here on earth. The blessing that they now value highest of all is the one that is to come when every blessing is found in Christ!