July 28 was an unusual day for me because I only saw four patients prior to lunch.  (The photo above is an image from internet I am using to represent a visit.)  The four visits I made all had the distinction that I had been personally requested to be there by the patient or a family member.  In each of these visits I had met the patient and family on previous admissions.  One of the visits had an urgent nature to it, but the other three were mainly fueled by the need to have someone familiar be with them to bring image to the fact that God is always with them.  Seeing the chaplain was a reminder of God’s presence even without my reading Scripture as is depicted in the picture.

I am glad that I am not forced to account for my time on a quantity of visits basis.  I can spend the needed time in visits based on the quality of pastoral care that is needed in that specific situation.  Those visits reminded me that while all visits have common components, the pastoral care I provide is individualized to meet the specific needs of the situation.  That is the same way God deals with us, he does not give all of us the same situation.  He is with is no matter what the situation is that we face.