Monica: The Angel of Mansfield Memorial Homes

About the Book

                Monica, the Angel of Mansfield Memorial Homes is the story of my wife, Monica, from November of 2004 to February of 2006, which is the present.  She came to the nursing home because of Duchene Muscular Dystrophy, which robbed her of the ability to walk.  Yielding complete control of her life to God has caused her to blossom into a very caring individual, not unlike a fall blooming chrysanthemum.  I have a number of illnesses that have me disabled for the last eight years and unable to care for her at home.  We cope with the separation in our lives with frequent visits, a private room, nightly prayer and a lot of help from God’s grace.  When she was at home, leaving the house became very difficult an in effect she was cut off or isolated from the outside world.  At the nursing home she was able to form new friendships and relationships. 

                Telling people about God’s love and about how Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins was a challenge that became a reality.  One of the friends she made was a man named Tony.  Tony could not see the need of his salvation because he was a very good person.  Good by our standards, but not God’s.  He started having trouble keeping food down and was eventually diagnosed with cancer.  About two weeks before he died he saw his need of salvation and accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior.  

                Monica also has the patience to communicate with many of the patients who cannot talk due to stroke, Alzheimer's, brain damage or what ever.  Many of these patients cannot remember her name, but they all know she is their friend.  One lady who goes around crying all the time will come to Monica just to hold her hand to find some relief from the sadness.  God knows about her sadness and so does Monica. 

                It is a story that reveals how God cares for even those in nursing homes.  After all, he cares about the sparrow, doesn't’ he?

About the Author

            I am a graduate of Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan.  A Bachelor of Arts Degree in Industrial Education hangs in my den wall.  My father once told me that, that degree and a dime would buy me a cup of coffee most anywhere in town.  Dear ole dad, not anymore.  I don’t even like coffee.  I have already had one book published.  Am I a successful author?  That depends on how you measure success.  If we measure success in book sales, the picture looks pretty bleak.  Measuring success by the reaction of the people from the church I attend will give a vastly different picture.  Sudden riches would probably incite me to move to the hills of Beverly where I could have a cement pond and enjoy it year round.  I have learned in life that praises and accomplishments coming from other people mean a lot more than the boasting of a proud, but foolish man.  So, I will let you be the judge. 

            This much is for sure, any talent that I have to write has come from God leaving nothing for me to brag about.  The things that I have written come from a very painful part of my life, a part that is as I write, still ongoing.  In view of the fact that only my wife and I know the depth of the pain, sorrow and despair that we have experienced means that only we are qualified to tell the story.