CHI St. Vincent Reflection Book 2020

Reflection Booklet

Compassion | Inclusion | Integrity | Excellence | Collaboration

Reflections Curated by the Values in Action Team Updated September 2020

About the Cover Photo Many of you may know that the hands in this picture are Father Harvey’s. What you may not know is that the hands he is holding belong to my mother. This picture was taken when Father Harvey was offering my mother the Anointing of the Sick just days before she left us and gained her angel wings.

Every time I look at this picture, I am in awe. It speaks volumes that words cannot express.

It speaks of bridging the gap between age and race, it speaks about true compassion and ministering to the sick, and it speaks of the impact of human touch. Most of all it speaks of God’s love for us and how it is our privilege to share that love with one another.

To Father Harvey, this is a ritual he performs frequently. For my family it was the one and only moment for my mother.

Having this picture on the front of the 2020 Reflection book means the world to my siblings and me. My family has deep roots to this hospital and the Sisters of Nazareth. Sharing this special honor with Father Harvey is a privilege.

- Karolyn Thompson Market Director, Rehab

LIVING OUR MISSION On the Shoulders of Giants Submitted by Chad Aduddell Market Chief Executive Officer, CHI St. Vincent

2020 has been a very challenging year from the COVID-19 pandemic, to racial and social justice disparities and economic issues facing society. Some have stated that these times are unprecedented.

However, 132 years ago, the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth and the Sisters of Mercy answered a call to begin their healthcare ministries in Arkansas during a time of pandemic (yellow fever), racial, gender, religious and other social disparities and economic challenges. Despite the challenges they faced, the sisters were resolute in their faith, their values, and their commitment to their mission to reveal God’s healing presence through the healthcare provided to the communities they served. Sister Michaella Duke stated, �Our basic philosophy - the patient comes first!�

Today, the founding Sisters have transitioned the ministry to our hands. We stand on their shoulders and represent the hands, the eyes, the ears, the feet and the hearts of Christ for the patients we serve.

This booklet of reflections represents the stories of many of our coworkers and demonstrates how we are carrying forward the legacy of the Sisters. I hope and pray that this collection of reflections will be a blessing to you and shine a light on the values that are alive and well!

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION | INTEGRITY | INCLUSION

A Consistent Ethic of Life Submitted by The Most Reverend Anthony B. Taylor 7th Bishop of Little Rock

Do you remember Pope Francis’ visit to the United States in 2015? I was there and I treasure the powerful pro-life witness that was at the heart of his talks and homilies. Over and over again he called for a consistent ethic of life rooted in the sacredness of human life from the first moment of conception to natural death and every stage in between. When speaking of specific pro-life issues, he insisted that everything is connected—thus bridging the American political divide between those are passionate about abortion but weak when it comes to social justice and those who are passionate about social justice but weak when it comes to abortion. Pope Francis spoke a great deal about our “throw away culture” and in his homily to us bishops at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, he specifically linked many of the pro-life issues. He said: “The innocent victim of abortion, children who die of hunger or from bombings, immigrants who drown in the search for a better tomorrow, the elderly or sick who are considered a burden, the victims of terrorism, wars, violence and drug trafficking, the environment devastated by man’s predatory relationship with nature—at stake in all of this is the gift of God, of which we are noble stewards but not masters. It is wrong to look the other way or to remain silent.”

This teaching regarding a consistent ethic of life did not begin with Pope Francis. In 1995 Saint John Paul II issued a powerful encyclical titled “Evangelium Vitae” (The Gospel of Life—abbreviated EV) in which he emphasizes fostering a culture of life based on the teaching of Jesus in the New Testament, and he insists that human life and human dignity must be protected from conception to natural death. This Gospel of Life that we proclaim places the sacredness of the human person at the center of the teaching of the Catholic Church and thus touches every aspect of life—in the womb, at the end of life and every stage in between (EV 37). If life is sacred, then there must be no euthanasia, no doctor-assisted suicide and no capital punishment in societies where criminals can be imprisoned and pose no further threat to public safety (EV 40). If life is sacred, then we must find a way to provide universal access to medical care and compassionate care for the elderly and medical research that does not require the destruction of human embryos. If life is sacred, then immigration when necessary is a pro-life issue (this planet belongs to all of us), as is welcoming refugees and working to end gun violence and unemployment—and in this age of Black Lives Mater, it means combatting the systemic evil of racism in our society. If life is sacred, then feeding the hungry and giving shelter to the homeless are pro-life issues. Popes Benedict and Francis then build on the teaching of St. John Paul II. Indeed, Pope Francis goes a step further and condemns economic inequality, what he calls “an

LIVING OUR MISSION economy that kills� (Evangelii Gaudium, 53). He reminds us once again that everything is connected.

Abortion is part of an economy that kills—the abortion industry is driven by huge profits and many of the victims are poor and with few prospects in life. Hence the image often used of a seamless garment when referring to a consistent ethic of life. Seamless because all of the pro-life issues are interwoven to the point that if the garment is torn, the whole thing begins to come unraveled. Life is sacred and so Catholic healthcare is committed to the protection of human life and human dignity from the first moment of conception to natural death and every stage in between!

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | INTEGRITY

A Prayer for Humility by Pope Francis Submitted by Mary Frances Gallaway, RN, SCRN Clinical Educator Specialty-CHI St Vincent North

“Rivers do not drink their own water; trees do not eat their own fruit; the sun does not shine on itself; and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves.

Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is…

Life is good when you are happy; but much better when others are happy because of you”.

-Pope Francis

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to make others happy. Please give me the strength to be strong and to do what is right. Thank you for always being there for me in my time of need or just when I need to say hello and thank you. Thank you for making me happy. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | COMPASSION | INCLUSION | INTEGRITY | EXCELLENCE

The Good Samaritan Submitted by Bubba Arnold, PharmD MHSA President, CHI St Vincent Morrilton

I continue to be amazed at the compassionate way our coworkers care for others. You see it every day.

With patients, family, visitors or each other, the love of Christ is being spread daily by a wonderful team that chooses to come together to care for those entrusted to us and for each other. They do it by providing clothing to a patient with none, by purchasing a meal for a hungry visitor, by raising money for a coworker afflicted by breast cancer and by simply smiling while offering a kind word to someone feeling down. Yes, these are the Morrilton family members I am so blessed to work with every day.

This team, like any other, is not perfect, but they don’t let that get in their way. They understand and accept that we are all a work in progress and keep pushing to ‘love our neighbors as ourselves’ as illustrated in the story of the Good Samaritan.

Luke 10:25-37 ESV 25 And behold, a lawyer stood up to put him to the test, saying,“Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” 26 He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” 27 And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” 28 And he said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” 29 But he, desiring to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?” 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. 31 Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. 32 So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. 33 But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. 34 He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.’ 36 Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?” 37 He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” And Jesus said to him, “You go, and do likewise.”

When others need our help the most, like the victim in the parable, our love for neighbors is truly tested. Jesus instructs us to be like the Good Samaritan, helping others in times of suffering, and not like the Priest and Levite who neglected their neighbor. (BibleStudyTools)

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | INTEGRITY | COMPASSION

Humbled and Blessed Submitted by Laura Bennett EVS Supervisor, CHI St Vincent Hot Springs

I was cruising through some writings shared by my cousin, Heather Bennett-Ritter, and came across one that has stuck with my personal journey in life right now. She shared, “May I never be so blessed that I’m blind to the needs of my sisters and brothers.”

Isaiah 5:15 “...And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled.”

The humanity of it all is to settle into a nice fluffy pallet of complacency; however, one raging, unrelenting flash of reality hits every once in a while to wake you up and force you into the realization of your blessings. God has been very creative in His ways of getting my attention over the first 50 years of my life - some more than others and some with a sort of disciplinary factor thrown in there. However, I have learned to slow down, take a deep breath, open my eyes, heart and soul and gratefully receive his blessings when I practice humbleness. In the halls you hear people ask, “How are you today?” I hear, “Fine, you?” and “Meh, it could be better.” My response? “Better than I deserve,” and I believe in this response wholeheartedly. I submitted a long time ago to the fact that I am a constant work in progress, and I anxiously look forward to each day as God sees fit to give me.

After realizing (finally!) to humble myself and let the Potter mold the clay, He has worked me into some situations and spaces I never before thought I would have survived. I am in constant awe and seeking out what is to come next. I feel this joining with CHI will be one of the bigger blessings in my life as I submit to God and His will as He has deemed me a candidate to walk this path with Him.

Prayer

Holy God, I am here to be part of a great ministry and am humbly blessed. May I never lose an opportunity to be a positive encourager to someone who crosses my path. It is a privilege to walk with You every day. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | INTEGRITY | COMPASSION

I Can Make a Difference Submitted by Rev. Cindy J Goza, M.Div. BCC Team Lead Chaplain, CHI St Vincent North

In the 30+ years I’ve served as a chaplain, I have noticed that more often than not it seems that God pairs the right coworker with the right patient at the right time.

• A man came for surgery, and he was terrified. So he wrote on a piece of masking tape a message

for himself: “My God is my healer.” He taped it to his gown over the surgical site. When the surgical team read it, he said their eyes lit up and they all stopped and prayed for him, filling him with hope and courage. God put the right team with the right patient because prayer before his surgery was exactly what this man needed.

• Another patient was assigned to a nurse who was orienting and whose learning curve was still

great, but she intuitively noticed a change in the patient’s condition and was not afraid to speak up. Her courage to say something saved the patient from a critical event—God put the right person with the right patient at the right time.

• A seasoned nurse was paired with a new nurse and noticed her crying. Instead of ignoring her, she began to listen and offer support. The new nurse shared that she was forced to pawn a treasured family heirloom in order to pay bills until she got her first pay check. Tragically, the new nurse died unexpectedly in a car wreck before she could claim the heirloom again. But after searching many pawn shops, her nursing partner located the heirloom and returned it to her family. Some people might not have gone the extra mile, but once again, God put the right nurse with the right coworker at the right time.

Never underestimate the leadership of the Holy Spirit as you work. God may have chosen you to be in a difficult situation because your skills are exactly what is needed to comfort, heal and help another.

Prayer

Help me see life through Your eyes, Holy God and trust that my abilities may be exactly what someone needs if I am willing to help. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | EXCELLENCE | COMPASSION

I Packed Your Parachute!

Submitted by Barbara Ellis-Irby, RN CHI St Vincent Hot Springs

Charles Plumb was a US Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions, his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a communist Vietnamese prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience!

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, ‘You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk.

You were shot down!’ ‘How in the world did you know that?’ asked Plumb. ‘I packed your parachute,’ the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude. The man pumped his hand and said, ‘I guess it worked!’ Plumb assured him, ‘It sure did. If your chute hadn’t worked, I wouldn’t be here today.’

Plumb couldn’t sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, ‘I kept wondering what he had looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat; a bib in the back; and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have seen him and not even said ‘Good morning, how are you?’ or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot

Prayer

and he was just a sailor.’

Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn’t know.

Now, Plumb asks his audience, ‘Who’s packing your parachute?’ Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. He also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory - he needed his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute and his spiritual parachute.

He called on all these supports before reaching safety.

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment or just do something nice for no reason. As you go through this week, this month, this year, recognize people who pack your parachutes.

Lord, continue to place in our hearts the notion that we are duty bound to pray for and offer acts of kindness and support to those who need us. Lord, be with us as continue to show concern and love for each other. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | EXCELLENCE | INTEGRITY | INCLUSION

The Magic of Thinking Big Submitted by Shawn Barnett Market Senior VP-COO-CFO, CHI St. Vincent

The prophet David wrote “As one thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Great people are those who see the world through others using our God-given gifts. The mind and heart have their own place, and when they are in alignment, beautiful things are possible. If thinking BIG accomplishes so much, why doesn’t everyone think that way? The truth is we all recognize our surroundings in different ways and react to them in a personal way. We are all children of God, and when we apply his teachings, that alignment becomes possible and our admirable qualities we each possess shine like a beacon of light.

So think BIG, and you’ll live BIG. When we do this, our patients, coworkers, physicians and any other customer will see this in us and possibly start thinking bigger themselves, thus creating a better society.

Romans 8:28 So we are convinced that every detail of our lives is continually woven together to fit into God’s perfect plan of bringing good into our lives, for we are his lovers who have been called to fulfill his designated purpose.

Prayer

Dear Lord, Thank you for the many blessings that you have bestowed on us. Lord, we just ask that you use our hearts and minds in a big way that would be pleasing to your ministry. Lord, we realize that you have given us many talents and using them in a purposeful way has been your desire all along and challenge us to be impactful disciples. We ask all of these things in your name, Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | INTEGRITY

There is a Time for Everything Submitted by Randy Drye Elanna Drye, MSN, BS, RN SICU Nursing Supervisor, CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs Boiler Operator, Maintenance, CHI St. Vincent Hot Springs

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every purpose under the heavens: A time to be born, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to uproot; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to scatter stones, and a time to gather them; A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to search, and a time to give up; a time to keep, and a time to throw away; A time to tear, and a time to mend; a time to keep silent, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

What do workers gain from their toil? I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.�

Ecclesiastes 3:1-11 Some of the words in this poem from the Old Testament probably make some people uncomfortable.

So uncomfortable that we may just pass these by without really acknowledging that there is a God ordained time to kill, scatter stones, hate, give up, throw away, and that there is a time for war. It may mean literal war or perhaps a waging a war against negativity in our minds. These seasons can be applied to thoughts, attitudes and behaviors and are intended to bring us to a place of holiness through His Sacrifice - body, soul and spirit.

Where we want to linger are in times of love and laughter and peace. Yet these verses provide clear understanding that each season isn’t meant to last forever. These verses should give us courage, not only to endure, but to embrace the lessons which God intended for us. Some seasons overlap in our lives; some seem disconnected. We encounter people who are in different seasons than we are. Sometimes we are bystanders and sometimes we are active participants. As healthcare workers, we witness and experience these seasons every day; sometimes understanding their purpose and sometimes not. Embrace the season!

Prayer

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on us, sinners. Bless us with your Love, sustain us with your Mercy, and grant us courage to look for You in every season. Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | INTEGRITY

Trusting in God Anonymous Submission

One Sunday morning at a small southern church, the new pastor called on one of his older deacons to lead in the opening prayer. The deacon stood up, bowed his head and said, “Lord, I hate buttermilk.”

The pastor opened one eye and wondered where this was going. It was not the type of prayer he had in mind. The deacon continued, “Lord, I hate lard.” Now the pastor was totally perplexed. The deacon continued, “Lord I ain’t too crazy about plain flour either. But after you mix ‘em all together and bake ‘em in a hot oven, I just love biscuits!”

“So Lord help us to realize when life gets hard, when things come up that we don’t like, whenever we don’t understand what You are doing, that’s when we need to WAIT and see what You are making.

After you get through mixing and baking, it’ll probably be something even better than biscuits.

Amen.”

Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them”.

Prayer

Dear Lord, Thank you for the many blessings that you have bestowed on us. Lord, we just ask that you use our hearts and minds in a big way that would be pleasing to your ministry. Lord, we realize that you have given us many talents and using them in a purposeful way has been your desire all along and challenge us to be impactful disciples. We ask all of these things in your name, Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | INTEGRITY

We are Better Together Unknown Author, Submitted by Chris Stephens, MSN Perioperative Services Manager, CHI St Vincent North

Bees fly about 55,000 miles to make just 1 pound of honey. That’s more than two times around the world! God created these amazing insects to be great at teamwork. As many as 80,000 bees live in a hive, and a hive can produce more than 80 pounds of honey each year. That’s a lot of honey — maybe even more than you weigh!

The incredible part is that each individual bee makes only 1½ teaspoons of honey during its entire lifetime. But bees can make a lot of honey because they work together! Teamwork also allows people to do more together than they could on their own.

A wise king named Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

Individual accomplishments are important but nothing beats a high functioning team. I love knowing that the leaders and coworkers at my hospital “have my back” and don’t hesitate to step up to the plate when something needs to get done or when someone needs help. I am inspired to work harder because I know my team appreciates me.

No hospital is great because of a single person or department. It takes all of us. As we value every coworker and work together, our patients will benefit from our efforts. So let’s follow the words of King Solomon and “help each other up” because we are better together.

Prayer

Everybody has value because we are all created by You Holy God. Let me be the person I want to work with because together we can accomplish so much more. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COLLABORATION | INCLUSION | INTEGRITY

What is Unity Submitted by Tiffany McCain, PharmD Director of Pharmacy, CHI St Vincent Hot Springs

What is Unity?

We have all heard the phrase divide and conquer. In war, this strategy forces the enemy to divide their defenses and leaves them vulnerable. Satan uses these same tactics against the body of Christ. He seeks to divide and conquer because he knows that a disunified church is weak.

But what is unity? Unfortunately, many think that unity means “sameness.” This is not true. Unity is not uniformity. Instead, unity can be defined as any group of people who are characterized by a shared purpose, vision or direction. It’s not about being the exact same, but about advancing toward the same goal. Think about a football team. There are different positions on the field. Each position has different skill sets, roles and responsibilities. But all players on the team march toward the same end zone because their goal is the same.

What we must realize is that race has always been a part of God’s plan, but God’s plan also included a way to create unity among the different races. That plan’s epicenter is Jesus Christ. Through Christ, racially divided groups get reconciled into one body, the church. The church is the place where all distinctions should no longer cause any divisions because of our unity in Christ. Our common goal is advancing God’s kingdom through sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. When believers, from every race, come together and operate in biblical unity, we will no longer be divided or conquered. We will be victorious.

Ephesians 2:14-16 Ephesians 4:13

Prayer

Everybody has value because we are all created by You Holy God. Let me be the person I want to work with because together we can accomplish so much more. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION

Be the Person You Want to Be With Written by Jonathan Kirshenbaum, Submitted by Jenny Bowe, MSN RN RNC Clinical Director/Surgical Stepdown/Medical/Surgical/Ortho/OP Infusion, CHI St Vincent

The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearances, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7 It is so easy to judge when we are frustrated, but we need to look at our neighbor from a place of love and compassion. We do not know what anyone carries on their heart. We need to use the lens Jesus uses when he looks at our hearts.

A young couple moved to a new neighborhood. The next morning while eating breakfast, the young woman saw her neighbor hanging the wash outside. “That laundry is not very clean; she doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs new detergent,” she commented. Her husband looked on and remained silent.

Every time the neighbor hung her wash out to dry, the young woman made similar comments.

A month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean wash on the line and said to the husband, “look, she finally learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this?” The husband replied, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”

And so it is with life…what we see when watching others depends on the clarity of the window through which we look. Don’t be quick to judge others, especially if your perspective of life is clouded by anger, jealousy, negativity or unfulfilled desired. Judging someone does not define who they are; it defines who you are.

Prayer

Holy God, sometimes it is easier to complain than to find something nice to say, but I ask you to help me become the person I want to work with. I want to see the world through your eyes and to love others because you expect me to. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION

A Prayer For Those Affected By The Coronavirus (based on Psalm 91) Submitted by Fr. Harvey Priest Chaplain, CHI SVI

I am confident, O God, that Your presence will protect Your people in every dangerous situation.

You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High, who abide in the shade of the Almighty, Say to the LORD, “My refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust.”

For You will rescue me from the fowler’s snare, from the destroying plague, You will shelter me with Your pinions, and under Your wings I may take refuge; Your faithfulness is a protecting shield.

I shall not fear the terror of the night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that roams in darkness, nor the plague that ravages at noon.

Though a thousand fall at my side, ten thousand at my right hand, near me it shall not come.

Because I have the LORD for my refuge and have made the Most High my stronghold, No evil shall befall me, no affliction come near my tent.

For the LORD commands His angels with regard to me, to guard me wherever I go.

With their hands they shall support me.

Because I cling to the LORD, HE will deliver me; because the LORD knows my name, He will set me on high.

I will call upon the LORD, and He will answer; The LORD will be with me in distress; He will deliver me and give me honor.

With length of days the LORD will satisfy me, and fill me with His saving power.

I pray for everyone who is presently suffering due to exposure to the Coronavirus.

I pray for everyone around the world who is working to contain the Coronavirus.

I pray for all who have died from this virus and for all families who are grieving the loss of loved ones.

I pray especially for our Infirmary community to be safe as experts around the world seek solutions to this current crisis.

O God, I believe in Your word that there is nothing impossible for You. Therefore I am confident that Your presence will protect Your people in every dangerous situation.

I make this prayer in the powerful name of Jesus who is our present help in this time of need.

Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION

Care, the Source of all Cure Written by Henri Nouwen, Submitted by Rev. Cindy Goza, MDiv BCC Team Lead Chaplain, CHI St Vincent North

Care is something other than cure. Cure means “change.” A doctor, nurse, chaplain- healthcare workers- they all want to use their professional skills to bring about changes in peoples’ lives. They get paid for whatever kind of cure they can bring about. But cure, desirable as it may be, can easily go wrong if it does not grow out of care. Care is being with, crying out with, suffering with and feeling with. Care is compassion. It is claiming the truth that the other person is my brother or sister, human, mortal, vulnerable, like I am.

When care is our first concern, cure can be received as a gift. Often we are not able to cure, but we are always able to care. To care is to be human.

Prayer

Holy God, Help us to realize that compassionate care goes hand in hand with cure. Our patient experience will soar when we genuinely connect with each person who comes to us for healing. When you Jesus connected with the people in your land, they saw that you were the Savior of the world.

That connection transformed their lives and filled them with hope. May we strive to deeply care as well. Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION | EXCELLENCE

Choose the Better Side of Life Written by Unknown Author, Submitted by Dejuan Daniel, PT MPT Cert. DN Manager of Rehabilitation Services

Hate has 4 letters, so does Love.

Enemies has 7 letters, so does Friends.

Lying has 5, so does Truth.

Negative has 8, so does Positive.

Under has 5 so does Above.

Cry has 3 letters, so does Joy. Anger has 5 letters, so does Happy.

Right has 5 letters, so does Wrong.

Hurt has 4 letters, so does Heal.

Life is like a double edged sword‌ so transform every negative side into an aura of positivity‌ We should choose the better side of life.

Prayer

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; where there is sadness, joy. Let our patients always have the sense that we care deeply and that we will strive to choose the better side of life because we love you. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION

Keep God Close By Submitted by Mary L. Hubmann Volunteer, CHI St Vincent North

We don’t know about tomorrow – we don’t even know about the rest of today. In 2000 my husband went to the hospital because he was not feeling well. After many tests, they found that he had lung cancer. We were both shocked. We did not see this coming.

For the next 12 months, I became his caregiver. This was a time I would not trade for all the gold in the universe. I fed him when he was sick. I cooked what he liked to eat, and sometimes we would talk all night long. But he only got sicker.

The chemo and radiation did not work. They gave him strong pain medicine, and he came home with me because he would not go to a hospital or nursing home. He had made it plain to the doctors that he would not take pain pills. But the doctor said “You have to have it at your house just in case you need it.”

We put his pain medicine in the cabinet, and it was never used. When the pain would get bad, he would start saying a Bible verse: John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life.” Afterwards, he would drift off to sleep. Saying John 3:16 to manage his pain lasted until his death. If we are smart, we should keep God close by in our lives.

Prayer

Help me to never underestimate how much You love me Holy God. Give me the courage to lean on You in every way and trust in You for everything. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION | COLLABORATION

Let Go of Your Stress Submitted by Cindy Goza, M.Div. BCC Team Lead Chaplain

A psychology professor entered the classroom with half a glass of water in his hand. The students expected the old common question “was it half empty or half full?” But to the surprise of the students, he asked them “How heavy is this glass of water?”

The answers given by the students ranged from 7 oz. to 25 oz. But the professor replied that the actual weight of the glass with water doesn’t always matter but how long you hold the glass is what matters.

If you hold the glass for a minute, you won’t feel much weight. But if you hold for 10 minutes, you will feel a little more weight, and it seems to grow the longer you hold it. If you hold it for the entire day, then your hands might become numb and painful. Your arm might begin to shake with fatigue.

Stress is like a mental weight. If you carry your stress for a while and can leave it, then there is usually no problem, but if you think about it for hours, it starts becoming a bigger problem. Too much stress lessens your productivity and sets you up for making mistakes. So find a way to accept what you can’t change or look for a solution to your burden.

In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus gives us a way to handle stress.

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

The year 2020 is one of the most stressful years in our lifetime. Anxiety and stress are now a part of our daily life, but it does not have to consume us. Find time to “unplug” and focus on something positive. Develop a supportive community or be that supportive community for someone else, and most importantly learn to “trust in God with all your heart and lean not into your own understanding.

Acknowledge Him in everything you do and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3: 5-6) Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION | COLLABORATION | EXCELLENCE

One Small Act of Kindness Can Change More than a Day From www.leadlikejesus.com/blogspot, Anonymous Submission

Hebrews 10:24 says: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.”

Several years ago, the culture in South Africa was this: when a black person and a white person met while walking on a footpath, the black person was expected to step off the path into the gutter and let the white person to pass and nod their head as a gesture of respect.

But on this day there was a young boy walking with his mother and before they could step off the sidewalk, the white man stepped off the sidewalk and as they passed, he tipped his hat in a gesture of respect to her!

It was the simple gesture of the white man, who forever changed the life of the young black African boy. When his mother told him that the white man was an Anglican priest, he decided there and then that he wanted to be an Anglican priest too. And what is more, he wanted to be a man of God. The young boy was Desmond Tutu who was later mentored by Fr. Trevor Huddleston and his commitment to the equality of all humans due to their creation in God’s image.

This is such a beautiful story about a terrible situation and how during great difficulty, one small act of kindness can change not just a day but a lifetime. Instead of random acts of kindness, what if we practiced intentional acts of kindness to everyone, not just those we like?

Two days ago I noticed a patient whose lunch tray had not been touched and I commented on the fact that she had not eaten. “Well she said, I can’t reach it. They just set the tray down and left.” So after checking with her nurse that she could eat I helped get her set up with better access to her tray and I sat and visited with her as she ate. I ran into her in the lobby the next day and she had just commented on how that intentional act on my part made such a huge difference to her.

Prayer

Holy God, we may never know the full extent of how acts of kindness can impact others. So help me be aware of my surroundings and look for ways to help others. Even making eye contact and smiling can be the very thing someone needs. So I pray that You will use the kindness I share to change the lives of all Your people. Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION | COLLABORATION

Quiet Acts of Kindness Written by Ralph Marston, Submitted by Brent Reichenbach, BS CNMT RT (CT) ARRT CHI St Vincent North

Most of them you never see. Yet everywhere you go, quiet acts of kindness surround you.

Every day, good people live their lives with strength, with purpose, with compassion and integrity.

Every day, the whole world is lifted by people who are happy for the opportunity to make a difference.

Those who boast about it or make grand promises are not the ones advancing life’s goodness. It’s the quiet, sincere kindness, from folks who have no interest in taking credit that gives each day its special shine.

The world is filled with good, caring people who never make the news and who never care to. The magnitude of their kindness each day is too large and far too widespread to ever be calculated.

Life is good today because so many people choose to see it as good. And in every small moment, each in his or her own way, they humbly give life to the goodness.

Quiet acts of kindness surround you, even now. Feel the goodness and quietly pass it on.

Matthew 6: Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your father in Heaven.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, let us be mindful to do our acts of kindness as you have recommended in your word.

We asked that you show all of us opportunities to help our fellow man, and help us to do these acts humbly. We ask this in Christ’s name. AMEN

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION | INTEGRITY | INCLUSION

Taking Time for the Important…Responding to the Urgent Submitted by Rose Poag Chaplain, CHI St Vincent Hot Springs

One day a woman approached Jesus and his disciples. She was desperate for help. Jesus was in Gentile territory when she came upon him. He was actually on a mission to Gentile people. The woman came pleading for help and asked Jesus to have mercy upon her.

We all face hardships in this life, and sometimes, we feel our faith is weak. Maybe we believe God is not hearing our prayers, or perhaps He is silent.

She went on to tell Jesus her daughter was suffering from demon possession. At first Jesus didn’t answer the lady. The disciples assumed he was done with her, and asked Jesus to “send her away.’

They were insensitive to her cry for help.

There are people who come into our lives sometime who seem very “needy.” How do we treat them?

Someone once said, “some talk to you in their free time, and some free their time to talk to you… learn the difference.”

This woman was persistent. She would not give up. In Matthew 15:24 Jesus tells the woman he was sent only to help God’s lost sheep…the people of Israel. What Jesus was doing was telling this woman that Jews were to have the first opportunity to accept him as the Messiah because God wanted them to present the message of salvation to the rest of the world. This woman loved her daughter. And she loved God. She worshipped Jesus.

How many of us would have been offended?

She loved her daughter and proved by her actions that she would do anything in her power to see her daughter healed. Jesus then says to her, “Dear woman…your faith is great. Your request is granted.”

God is still wanting to touch and change the lives of people.

This woman brought her brokenness…

She brought her pain and suffering…

She brought what she had to Jesus…

LIVING OUR MISSION She left with her daughter healed from demon possession.

Jesus took time to pull away from his busy schedule to pray and talk with his Father. He took time for the important so he could respond to the urgent.

Our patients and families come to us oftentimes when things seem urgent‌

A new health diagnosis

A terminal illness

A heart attack

A death Whatever the situation in our lives, let us remember to take time to care for ourselves with self-care.

To take time for those whom we love so when life happens we too can make time for the urgent because we have taken time for the important.

LIVING OUR MISSION COMPASSION | EXCELLENCE

The Magic of Belief Written by Mike Reuter, Submitted by Rachel Longfellow, MHA Mkt Director Operations, Population-Health

The life of Thomas Alva Edison has many great learnings for great leaders. There is a little known story, however, of the impact that his Mother had on his life and the great lesson it holds for great leaders.

One day, as a small child, Thomas Edison came home from school and gave a paper to his mother. He said to her, “Mom, my teacher gave this paper to me and told me only you are to read it. What does it say?”

Her eyes welled with tears as she read the letter out loud to her child. “Your son is a genius. This school is too small for him and doesn’t have good enough teachers to train him. Please teach him yourself.”

His mother did just that, until she fell ill and passed away. Many years after Edison’s mother died, he became one of the greatest inventors of the century.

One day he was going through some of her things and found the letter that his old teacher wrote his Mom that day. The message written on the letter was “Your son is mentally deficient. We cannot let him attend our school anymore. He is expelled.”

Edison became emotional reading it and then wrote in his diary: “Thomas A. Edison was a mentally deficient child whose mother turned him into the genius of the Century.”

Stephen Covey beautifully defines leadership as: “Communicating to people their worth and value so clearly that they come to see it in themselves.” It is in this act of leadership that great leaders selflessly serve others to realize the greatest potential and possibilities their life can give to the world and those whom they touch. Your belief in someone, your one word of encouragement and deep caring may be that one, beautiful spark that will bring out another “genius of the Century.”

LIVING OUR MISSION EXCELLENCE

A Prayer for Change Submitted by Gerry Jones, MD Vice President, Medical Affairs, Central Arkansas & Chief Medical Officer, Infirmary

“Some men see things as they are and ask ‘Why?’ I dream of things that never were and ask “Why not?””

Robert F. Kennedy 1968 Have you ever had a day when all you can think of is how bad things are? Fortunately, we can make the world a better place, and we can make ourselves better people if we are willing to embrace change. In fact, change is the only way that we can improve. Man has a limitless capacity for change, if we do not allow ourselves to be satisfied with the status quo.

But change is uncomfortable, change can be frightening, and change is always hard. Because of our Faith, we do not have to face change alone.

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

Joshua 1:9 Whenever you face change, whenever you feel overwhelmed, or whenever you feel inadequate to meet the demand, consider the following prayer: Dear Lord, Give me your wisdom to direct me in my quest for change.

Help me to feel confident in your direction.

Make your voice recognizable and your way clear.

Give me courage and help me to have no doubt or confusion.

Keep my heart and mind open to receive your Grace and go where you lead me, knowing that all things are possible through you.

Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION EXCELLENCE | INTEGRITY | INCLUSION

All the Difference in The World Written by Marc Chernoff, Submitted by Ty Hunt Facilities Supervisor, SV North

Every Sunday morning as I take a light jog around a park near my home, I see the same elderly woman sitting at the edge of a small lake.

She has a small metal cage sitting beside her.

My curiosity got the best of me, so I stopped jogging and walked over to her. As I got closer, I realized that the metal cage was in fact a small trap. There were three turtles, unharmed, slowly walking around the base of the trap. She had a fourth turtle in her lap that she was carefully scrubbing with a spongy brush.

“Hello,” I said. “I see you here every Sunday morning. If you don’t mind my nosiness, I’d love to know what you’re doing with these turtles.”

She smiled. “I’m cleaning off their shells,” she replied. “Anything on a turtle’s shell, like algae or scum, reduces the turtle’s ability to absorb heat and impedes it ability to swim. It can also corrode and weaken the shell over time.” “Wow! That’s really nice of you!” I exclaimed.

She went on: “I spend a couples of hours each Sunday morning, relaxing by this lake and helping these little guys out. It’s my own strange way of making a difference.”

“But don’t most freshwater turtles live their whole lives with algae and scum hanging from their shells?” I asked.

“Yep, sadly, they do” she replied.

I scratched my head. “Well then, don’t you think your time could be better spent? I mean, I think your efforts are kind and all, but there are fresh water turtles living in lakes all around the world.

And 99% of these turtles don’t have kind people like you to help them clean off their shells. So, no offense... but how exactly are your localized efforts here truly making a difference?”

The woman giggled aloud. She then looked down at the turtle in her lap, scrubbed off the last piece of algae from its shell, and said, “Sweetie, if this little guy could talk, he’d tell you I just made all the difference in the world.”

The Moral: You can change the world - maybe not all at once, but one person, one animal and one good deed at a time. Wake up every morning and pretend like what you do makes a difference.

Because it does!

LIVING OUR MISSION EXCELLENCE

Be the Lighthouse Submitted by Melissa Morgan, MSN RN NE-BC Clinical Director of Nursing, CHI St Vincent North

I have come into the world as a light, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. John 12:46 A lighthouse has been said to be one the strongest images of safety and protection. Historically, before radar and GPS systems, lighthouses were vital to protect ships from crashing onto rocks and shores. Building lighthouses is considered to be one of man’s most noteworthy endeavors.

Since the beginning of seafaring, communities have built bonfires at night to guide sailors home.

George Bernard Shaw (Nobel Prize recipient, 1925) said, “I can think of no other edifice constructed by man as altruistic as a lighthouse.

They were built only to serve.” Evangelist D.L Moody commented, “Lighthouses do not fire cannons to call attention to their shining-they just shine.”

Jesus used the imagery of light to describe our role in His Kingdom. He said that we are the light of the world. His directions were for us to serve as a lighthouse both internally and externally.

The first design for a lighthouse is the internal function of generating light. Early lighthouses

Prayer

used an actual fire that had to be constantly fed and watched. Later electric lights were utilized and ultimately lasers lights were developed.

But this light still has to be internally projected.

So we, too, as followers of Jesus have been commanded to project our internal light, the outer expression of the inner life under the control of the Holy Spirit.

The other aspect of a modern lighthouse is that it also is an external reflector. Over the years, improvements have been made to enhance the projection of the light. Revolving lenses have been developed to reflect that internally generated light further into the darkness. Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, we, too, reflect the light of the Son of God into a world of darkness.

In 2016, Dr. Ali Krisht, Director of Arkansas Neuroscience Institute, shared the vision of ANI becoming a lighthouse for neurosurgical treatment, learning and research for our community, the nation and the world.

Lighthouses are a reminder of God’s love. Like the bright shining beam of a lighthouse, His love reaches out and pierces through the darkness of any storm.

Dear Lord, may your love and light radiate into the darkness of the world as I stand strong and keep those in my care safe from harm. May I be a constant reflection of your strength and stability, internally and externally, shining to serve and heal our communities. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION EXCELLENCE | INTEGRITY

Do Everything for the Glory of God Submitted by Sharon Brymer Administrative Assistant ll, CHI St. Vincent Cancer Center – Hot Springs

I Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything, do everything to God’s glory.”- NWT “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”- NIV “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.”- KJV “So, whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything, do everything to God’s glory.” - Byington So, the admonition is really the same: in any and everything we do, it should be to and for God’s glory.

And, doing our best “in everything” usually starts with the attitude we have toward whatever we are doing; therefore, as hard as our jobs may be at times and, although none of us can do it perfectly, we can still do the best we can to remember to do whatever we do to glorify our Heavenly Father.

LIVING OUR MISSION EXCELLENCE | INTEGRITY

God’s Promise of His Faithfulness Submitted by Tenesha Robinson Respiratory Therapy, CHI SV North

Have you ever been faced with a task, responsibility or even a workload that can sometimes be overwhelming to deal with alone? Even as a coworker, friend or parent. We sometimes need to just stop and be still and know that God has our back and will support us through it all because in His word, God promises, “When thou passes through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walks through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:2 His faithfulness for us will make us strong, when we are feeling weak, even when the loads seems so heavy that we feel that we are unable to face trials and tribulations in our lives.

According to 2 Corinthians 12:10: “When I Am Weak, I Am Strong.” We have to know that God is with us and His love for His children is everlasting and unchanging. He has kept His promises to help us in every situation. When it seems like it’s all falling apart, we have to know that He is our biggest and loyal fan that will pull us through and cheer us on every step of the way.

His presence is everywhere, even in those tough obstacles where it seems like there is no way through or around them. Continue to trust and know that God has promised all of his love and faithfulness to all of us that believes. The situations in our life will change as long as you trust in the process because our God knows the process when it’s going to happen along with why they are happening.

Be faithful, be encouraged, be strong, be all that God asks of you because He will most definitely give us all of Him. If you believe you will already know He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you for your unconditional love and understanding. I am thankful for you walking beside me, in front, and in back of me; most of all for carrying me to face every trials and tribulations, because without you nothing will be possible. Thank you for being who you are, Abba!

Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION EXCELLENCE | INTEGRITY

Take Nothing for Granted-Lessons from the COVID Pandemic Written by Unknown Author, Submitted by Jenny Bowe, MSN RN RNC Clinical Director/Surgical Stepdown/Medical/Surgical/Ortho/OP Infusion, CHI St Vincent

The COVID pandemic has become a part of our current and future history. So many changes for so many people. This reflection is a great reminder of what we need to be grateful for.

When this is over,

When this ends

May we never again take for granted

May we find

A handshake with a stranger

That we have become

Full shelves at the store

More like the people

Conversations with neighbors.

We wanted to be We were called to be

A crowded theater

We hoped to be.

Friday night out The taste of communion

And may we stay

A routine check up

That way – better

A school rush each morning

For each other Because of the worst.

Coffee with a friend The stadium roaring Each deep breath A boring Tuesday Life itself.

LIVING OUR MISSION EXCELLENCE | COMPASSION

Why Am I A Nurse?

Submitted by Melissa Owen, RN SICU CHI St Vincent Hot Springs

Why am I a nurse? This is a question that I have been asked many times in the past when people ask what I do. They ask me how I can work in such a tough environment. I am a nurse because I love taking care of people and hopefully be able to save their life. Patients come to the intensive care unit very sick or injured, and it is rewarding to see these patients come back and thank us for our care.

Many times we do not get to see them again. As a nurse we deal with tragedy but we also help heal people so they can go back to their families.

A Nurse’s Prayer Let me dedicate my life today To the care of those Who come my way.

Let me touch each one With healing hand And the gentle art For which I stand.

And then tonight When day is done O let me rest in peace If I help just one.

LIVING OUR MISSION INCLUSION | INTEGRITY

A Reflection on Racism Submitted by Chaplaincy Services CHI St. Vincent Infirmary

“Standing on the shoulders of giants” is a metaphor that has been used since around the 12th century.

This metaphor has been the subject of numerous articles and books reflecting on this famous saying.

In 1159 John of Salisbury wrote: “Bernard of Chartres used to compare us to dwarfs perched on the shoulders of giants. He pointed out that we see more and farther than our predecessors, not because we have keener vision or greater height, but because we are lifted up and borne aloft on their gigantic stature.”(1) We believe this statement not only makes reference to the fact that mankind is capable of seeing much more than those who came before us, but that we are also capable of analyzing the past to help articulate our present situation.

We find ourselves in the midst of a world-wide pandemic involving the COVID-19 virus. Pandemics are not new to human existence. They have occurred throughout human history in various parts of the world. What makes COVID-19 different is that it has affected almost every section of the world.

Many among us may know someone who contracted this disease. The antagonist in this pandemic does not discriminate based on race, creed, skin color, gender, nationality or religious persuasion.

As human beings we share a common vulnerability to this virus. We have come to realize that we each must realize that indeed “we are dwarfs who sit on the shoulders of giants.” As we look at those affected by this pandemic in our nation and around the world, we realize that we ARE all in this together. We also realize that it is only as we work together, ironically by social distancing, common sense hygiene and the use of masks that we can face this disease and find our way through it.

Yet, this pandemic is not the only threat to our nation at this time in history. Our collective consciousness has once again been made ever so aware of the ongoing issue of racism that “infects” many of the social, political, economic and religious systems in the United States. In our day, the prevalence of racism has ushered forth the slogan: “Black Lives Matter.” There are some who find this slogan offensive, others fear its use, while many feel it really attests to the emotional pain that many people in the United States and around the world feel in the wake of recent tragic events. In many ways racism is a pandemic that has demonstrated itself to be like a chronic disease in the body politic of our great nation. Throughout multiple generations, the many people who make up these United States have lived with this reality.

People are not born with racist attitudes. Racism has often been openly taught and legislated over many generations. There has always been people, of different races, religions and cultures who have worked diligently to make our society “one nation under God,” a nation of justice and peace. These

LIVING OUR MISSION people have grown to become the giants upon whose shoulders we “dwarfs” now must sit and ponder: “Where do we go from here?”

In a manner not unlike the pandemic facing our nation and the world, we, too, can only deal with the “chronic disease” of racism by naming it, facing it and pulling together in real, heart to heart, prayer and conversation. Ridding a society of racism, in all its forms, is like peeling an onion. It must be done layer by layer.

Racism is not just a social issue, it is a spiritual issue. We are called to be a people of prayer. The most frequent requests that we Chaplains get are requests “to please pray…” There is no one correct way to pray. The styles of prayer are as numerous as the people who exercise their will to pray. Every day, prayers are offered not only for our patients and their families, but for all our coworkers here in the Infirmary and in the CommonSpirit Health System.

As Chaplains, we realize that our coworkers come from a wide variety of social, cultural, racial, religious and economic backgrounds. We want to assure you that we are here not only for our patients and their families, we are also here for you. If you feel the need to talk---to share your fears, doubts, anger or perhaps guilt over feelings or attitudes you find within your own soul, if you need someone to listen to your story or experience, if you want someone to pray with you, please know that we are here for you.

Our offices are located on the ground floor, around the corner from the Chapel. You may reach us if you would like to make an appointment at Ext. 8111. If no one is available to answer the phone, please leave a message. We will get back with you. Or, if you see us somewhere in the Infirmary and need to talk, just stop us and we will listen.

May God give us grace on our common journey as we seek to live out the values of our hospital in our daily lives. __________________ (1)John of Salisbury (1159). Metalogicon. Folio 217 recto (r 217r).

LIVING OUR MISSION INCLUSION | COLLABORATION | COMPASSION

Grateful Stewards of God’s Gifts…

Submitted by Linda McNutt Executive Assistant, Administration, CHI St Vincent Infirmary

(Published in the AR Democrat Gazette Advice Column) “The six most important words: ‘I admit I made a mistake.’

The five most important words: ‘You did a good job.’

The four most important words: ‘What is your opinion?’

The three most important words: ‘If you please.’

The two most important words: ‘Thank you.’

The one most important word: ‘We’ The least important word: ‘I’.

These words have a great amount of value. We are at times stuck on our own personal needs and wants. I do think that we need to add God into the mix because without Him the rest isn’t really as important. God makes all things possible and valuable. I do like what it has to say, and I can see my grandmother cutting out the article and sending it to me. I hope you enjoy it and share it with others who might also enjoy it.

Prayer

Holy God, as I work with others, let me not focus on changes I think they need to make. Let me examine my own heart and ask “how do I want to show up as I interact with others?” We are all created in Your Holy image and You value and love us equally. So let us treat others like You treat us.

Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION INCLUSION | INTEGRITY | COMPASSION

Reflection Submitted by Darian Sims, RN SICU, CHI St Vincent Hot Springs

Matthew 25:40 states: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.”

Hearing these words reminded me of the incredible opportunity and responsibility we have as healthcare providers. Jesus challenges us to change the way we view others. Rather than viewing those under our care as an obligation, view it as an opportunity. During those hard days, we can rest assured that our work does not go unnoticed. The difference that we can make in the lives of those around us is what it is all about. Like Jesus said, “As you did it to the least of these, you did it to me.”

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you so much for all you have done. Help our lives to reflect you in the way we love, serve, and live. Give us strength and wisdom in our times of need. Help us not take for granted the people and things around us. Most importantly let our lives bring you glory. We love you.

In Jesus name, Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION INCLUSION | COMPASSION

Rosy Fingered Dawn Submitted by Michael W. Millard, M.Div HEC-C Market Director of Mission Integration, CHI St. Vincent, Arkansas

In The Odyssey, the Greek poet, Homer, describes Odysseus’s long journey home from the Trojan War as a series of challenges and tragedies that test the resolve of the Ithacan hero. There were many opportunities for him to fail, which he did; and there were opportunities for him to triumph in the face of relentless opposition.

There is a phrase that Homer uses over and over again in The Odyssey, almost to the point of absurdity: “The child of morning, the rosy fingered dawn.” This is a magnificently poetic way of describing the explosion of light emanating from the Eastern horizon; the renewal of activity; the birth of a new day.

From our very beginnings, humanity has looked to the burgeoning light of day to dispel the fears and dangers that lurk in the darkness of night.

The morning brings light and warmth that feeds creation and brings life to the world. The rising sun gives hope based on a lifetime of experience, and the promise of scripture, that God is at work.

In the light of day we are reminded that no matter what has happened, God can take it and make it good.

In our early Christian tradition, churches were always built so the altar was facing East, toward the rising of the sun, the promise of the hope of Christ’s eventual second coming. That is what our soul longs to see.

At the core of our humanity, we find hope and confidence in the sight of the sun peaking over the horizon, brightening our lives. We are reminded of God’s presence and the certainty of His love and grace, no matter the trials and tribulations that may darken our night.

And even when clouds obscure the horizon, even the darkest of storms cannot long prevent the power of the sun from illuminating the landscape and lightening our hearts.

In our day, we continue to walk through a world afflicted. Many of us have seen, first hand, the effects of COVID-19, violence, racism and injustice upon our communities. Yet the rising of the sun reminds us of the divine spark that resides in every person and illuminates the inherent dignity of every human soul.

In Lamentations we read: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

Lamentations 3: 22-24 Hopeful, we look for the rosy fingered dawn.

LIVING OUR MISSION INCLUSION | INTEGRITY | EXCELLENCE

The Heart of Leadership Written by John C. Maxwell, Submitted by Kari Epperson, BSN RN Nurse Manager, CHI St Vincent North

When you think of servanthood, what do you envision? Servanthood is not about position or skill.

It’s about attitude. You undoubtedly have met people in service positions who have poor attitudes toward servanthood, and just as you can sense when a worker doesn’t want to help people, you can just as easily detect whether a leader has a servant’s heart. The truth is that the best leaders desire to serve others, not themselves.

True Servant leaders…

• Put others ahead of their own agenda.

• Possess the confidence to serve.

• Initiate service to others.

• Are not position-conscious.

• Serve out of love.

Servant leadership is never motivated by manipulation or self-promotion. In the end, the extent of your influence depends on the depth of your concern for others. That’s why it’s so important for leaders to be willing to serve.

The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader

Prayer

Lord, when you walked this earth, You did not just sit and direct others to follow. You washed feet, You healed the sick, You actively listened and spent time with those who were hurting. Let me follow Your example as Servant-Leader. Actions speak louder than words. May the compassion in my heart overflow as I walk side by side with others. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION INTEGRITY | EXCELLENCE

Be People-Centered Anyway!

Written by Unknown Author, Submitted by Nisa Trenthem MNSc RN NE-BC Director-Nursing Excellence

You’ve probably been hurt many times in your life by the thoughtless gestures or attitudes of people who are dear to you and perhaps even by patients who don’t know you at all. No one is perfect, and we all make mistakes. We all fall far short of the glory of God. Hopefully our goal is to seek to become better than we are today—to be a blessing to each other and strengthen each other in all things in spite of the negative acts and actions of others. After all, that is truly how God loves us. So keep this in mind: People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway.

Prayer

Lord thank You for declaring me not guilty, when I know I’ve offended You and the people I love, many times. I choose to forgive others and ask You to help me to live up to Your standards. Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION INTEGRITY | INCLUSION | COMPASSION

Courage in Uncertainty Submitted by Bryan Williams, DNP MBA RN NE-BC Senior Vice President and Chief Nurse Executive, CHI St Vincent

The Bible tells us of others who faced scary, uncertain periods of time (persecution, plagues and floods). This year we find ourselves dealing with our own set of challenging times, namely, a worldwide COVID-19 pandemic and national racial injustice. The great news is the Bible also guides us in our behaviors and our approach to dealing with fear and uncertainty. I believe that if you wait for that perfect moment to make your grand contribution to help mankind on a gigantic scale, then you may miss hundreds of opportunities to help your brothers and sisters defeat these evils together.

We have numerous opportunities to restore someone’s faith by an encouraging smile (at the moment they needed it), provide someone hope by delivering bad news with compassion (even when you don’t have the “extra” time), displaying love by showing gratitude for someone’s effort (even when it was unsuccessful). I continuously re-commit to looking for these opportunities with a relentless vigilance in the hope that I can do my small part to help someone else do something grand.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 Now may the LORD of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The LORD be with all of you.

1 Corinthians 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for always being available to me and always trying to guide me. I know I often do not hear You because I become distracted and miss the opportunity to demonstrate compassion. I ask You to sharpen my eyes and mind to sense every opportunity to do my work in Your image. In the Lord’s name, I pray. Amen.

LIVING OUR MISSION INTEGRITY | EXCELLENCE

Get Off the Ship Submitted by Douglas Ross, MD FACEP President – Hot Springs, Market SVP/Chief Medical Officer

In 1908, newly commissioned missionaries, John and Jessica Perkins, were on board a steamship rounding the coast of Liberia. They knew God had called them to Africa, but like Abraham, they didn’t know exactly where God wanted them to go. So they purchased tickets and trusted that God would tell them where to get off. As the ship made its way around Garraway Point, they sensed the Holy Spirit was prompting them to get off the ship.

Unknown to John and Jessica, there was a young man living in the region named Jasper Toe. He was a God-fearing man who practiced the religious rituals passed down by his ancestors, but he had never heard the name of Jesus. One night he looked into the night sky and prayed a simple prayer: “If there is a God in heaven, help me find You.” As Jasper stood under the stars, a voice he had never heard before spoke to him. “Go to Garraway beach. You will see a box on the water with smoke coming out of it; and from that box on the water will come some people in a small box. These people in this small box will tell you how to find Me.” Jasper Toe traveled seven days on foot to Garraway beach, arriving on Christmas Day, 1908. From the shore he saw a black box – a steamship- floating on the water with smoke

coming out of it. And that is when John Perkins and his wife sensed the Holy Spirit saying, “Get off the ship here. This is where I want you to go.”

When they went to the captain of the ship and asked him to let them get off the ship, he said, “I can’t let you off the boat here. This is cannibal country. People go in there and never come back.”

John Perkins insisted, “God wants us to get off the boat.” The captain brought the steamship to a halt, and the Perkinses were placed in a canvas chair that swung them over the side of the ship.

They got into a canoe along with all of their belongings, and they rowed to shore in that little box. When they got to the shore, Jasper Toe was waiting to welcome them. He motioned for them to follow him, and they did. They could not speak each other’s language, but the Perkinses followed Jasper Toe all the way back to his village. They eventually learned the language of the people there. They started the first church in that village.

And Jasper Toe was their first convert.

Those who knew Jasper Toe described him as one of the godliest men they had ever met. His legacy is the hundreds of churches he helped to establish in the county of Liberia.

What if the Perkinses had ignored the prompting of the Holy Spirit? What if they had dismissed

LIVING OUR MISSION that God-idea as a bad idea? What if they had asked why instead of why not? What if they had decided to play it safe and stay on the ship?

I’m sure God could and would have intervened in another way. But who can calculate the opportunity costs when we ignore the promptings of the Spirit, thereby missing divine appointments? Faith is not faith until it is acted on.

Go. Set. Ready.

Prayer

Holy God, As I work today, help me to listen to Your still, small, voice that may be leading me to someone who really needs my compassionate spirit and kindness. Give me the courage to follow my wildest dreams, because with You by my side, even my wildest dreams aren’t half wild enough. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION INTEGRITY | COMPASSION | COLLABORATION

New Clothes Submitted by Timothy Lambeth, BSN RN Nurse Manager Surgical Services, CHI St Vincent Hot Springs

Colossians 3: 1-4, & 12-14 NIV 1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Sometimes what you wear allows other people to see what you value and what your character is like.

If you go to a sports game, you will be surrounded by a sea of team jerseys. When pictures of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle first appeared in public, the apparel she wore was sold out in minutes.

In today’s Scripture passage, we are encouraged to dress in a way that shows what we value and who we are. We are urged to put on a new set of clothes: compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. We also add love, “which binds them all together in perfect unity.” In other words, that makes our outfits perfectly coordinated! All of these articles were “worn” perfectly by Jesus Christ; as his followers, we model our lives after him.

Once there was a man wearing a “March for Jesus” t-shirt. He was in a department store and was unhappy with the customer service department. He was ready to give the clerk a piece of his mind, but then he remembered what he was wearing. If he acted rashly, what would the clerk think of Jesus?

Very quickly, his attitude and tone of voice changed for the better. May we always put on the mind of Christ and glorify Him before others.

Prayer

Good morning Father. Thank You for bringing us to this place to serve. We pray that what we wear everyday reflects You and Your awesome love. We also pray for healing for our patients and their families. Help us as we give our best and use our core values in this ministry. Thank you for sharing the virtues that help us to identify with you. In Jesus name, Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION INTEGRITY

To Fast or Not To Fast Submitted by Rev. Cindy Goza, M.Div. BCC Team Lead Chaplain, CHI St Vincent North

In the medical field, we know all about fasting. Patients are told to fast (NPO) before surgery.

Diabetics fast in order to get a truer reading of their A1C. Chances are you are among the massive majority of religious people who rarely or never fast. It’s just too much fun to pick up the fork and eat — food is fun, especially when we celebrate with others. Fasting may sound simple, but it’s really hard. Believe it or not, it is an expectation of Jesus who doesn’t say “if” but “when you fast” (Matthew 6:16) Spiritual fasting is voluntarily going without food, or any other regular practice or habit—for the sake of a spiritual purpose. Giving up something for a sustained length of time makes you more aware of Your Creator and all that God has given up for us.

Most religious folk give up food (especially during Lent) but Pope Francis challenges us look at fasting in a different way.

He says: • Fast from hurting words and say kind words.

• Fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude • Fast from anger and be filled with patience.

• Fast from pessimism and be filled with hope.

• Fast from worries and have trust in God. • Fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity.

• Fast from pressures and be prayerful.

• Fast from bitterness and fill your hearts with joy.

• Fast from selfishness and be compassionate to others.

• Fast from words and be silent so you can listen.

Spiritual fasting can be done at any time of year and can make us keenly aware of God. Let’s take on the challenge of developing better habits because it is what God expects of us. Living a God-centered life can be truly rewarding.

Prayer

Holy God, you gave up so much for us and we certainly don’t deserve it. Help us to experience the joys that come when we discipline ourselves and seek to live our lives in a way that is pleasing and acceptable to you O God. Amen

LIVING OUR MISSION INTEGRITY | EXCELLENCE

Salt of the Earth Submitted by Roger Swayze RN BSN MBA HCM CCRC Clinical Director of Cardiovascular Services, Heart Institute Research Director, LVAD Program Director, Vascular Access Manager, Jack Stephens Heart Institute, CHI St. Vincent

One day the minister asked a member of his church, whose dad was about to pass, if he could ride with him to his father’s home to pray for him. As the son and minister rode together they began to speak about what life was like for the father and the son. The son was a little reserved about the minister meeting his dad. See his dad did not go to church. The minister asked the son as they drove down the road, “Does your dad know Jesus”? The son answered “yes, he called me the other day and asked what he must do to go to heaven. I spoke to him about calling upon the name of the Lord and asking forgiveness. He said he had done that, so I said ‘the rest dad is faith-faith to know you will go be with our Lord when you die.’” The minister seemed pleased to hear that both the father and son had the conversation and this would not be the topic of the visit.

When the minister and son arrived, they found the old man being helped by his wife to the porch so they could speak. As the old man sat in his chair outside on the porch talking to the minister, gasping for breath each time he spoke, he proudly told the stories of his time in the Korean War and about his youth. The minister listened intently, while the man’s son sat in the swing nearby. The man’s eyes would seem to gleam as he spoke about days gone by, his family, his career, raising his kids and being married to his wife of 64 years. They especially gleamed when he spoke of the son that was there that day. The minister seemed to enjoy listening to the man and sat contently as the old man kept telling his life story-a story that was not an about an easy life. A story that took true courage to travel the long and rocky road of 84 years. The story had many ups and downs but kept coming back to God, country and family. The love of all three and how serving this great nation and its people were a calling, a true calling not just a moment that passes by when the war is over or the family is grown up and left home, but a constant devotion to be kind and do better. The son watched as his father spoke.

He had never heard such passion and clarity from his father. A father that was dying and might not be with him much longer. The minister thanked the old man for his time and service. They prayed together and hugged.

As they got back in the car and the minister spoke first, “This type of man is the salt of the earth,” a phrase that seemed to lodge in the son’s mind. So much so it took several nights after that meeting and after his father’s death to come to grips with that phrase and what it truly means.

Matthew, 5:13, says - You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has lost its flavor, with what will it be salted? It is then good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the feet of men.

LIVING OUR MISSION There are many other interpretations but most notably that of an individual or group considered as representative of the best or noblest elements of society, or I believe, persons of excellence!

Someone who does the right thing when no one is looking. A person that is the salt of the earth is a servant leader who constantly strives to compassionately care for others and make their organization or the world a better place for all.

I am that son and I pray someday someone will say he is a person that is the “Salt of the Earth.�

Prayer

Gracious God of the Universe, we call upon you and your son Jesus Christ to help us all. Lead by guiding us in your path of righteousness and never let us forget those that have gone before, who have raised high their torches and have fought the good fight for the good for all mankind. Precious Lord grant that we all are mindful to show kindness, do what is right when no one is looking and leave the places we work or visit and the people we care for better that when we first arrived. Grant that your love and your peace flow thru us and may the love that passes all understanding, compassionately be shown to all humans in your beautiful world you have created. Amen!

Mission

As CommonSpirit Health, we make the healing presence of God known in our world by improving the health of the people we serve, especially those who are vulnerable, while we advance social justice for all.

Vision

A healthier future for all - inspired by faith, driven by innovation, and powered by our humanity.

Values

Compassion

Care with listening, empathy and love.

Accompany and comfort those in need of healing.

Inclusion

Celebrate each person’s gifts and voice.

Respect the dignity of all.

Integrity

Inspire trust through honesty.

Demonstrate courage in the face of inequity.

Excellence

Serve with fullest passion, creativity and stewardship.

Exceed expectations of others and ourselves.

Collaboration

Commit to the power of working together.

Build and nurture meaningful relationships.

Special thanks to: Cindy Goza, Megan Steele, Sarah Lehr, Diana Denning, Michael Millard, and all those who contributed their reflections and prayers to this book.

ILOM-11 9-20