Set Free to Serve

Marie Cutman

February 2009

I moved into Landis Homes 3 1/2 years ago and, as I had hoped, I felt as though I had been set free. My old house and property required a great deal of time and money in upkeep.

Now there is no more mowing lawn in weather so hot that I wore baggies of ice cubes under my straw hat to prevent heat stroke. No more opening the back door every half hour all night during a blizzard to push the snow away from the door so that I wouldn't be totally snowbound by morning. No more staggering out to the curb with the garbage bags in the middle of the night or risk them freezing to the ground and ripping open to spill all the trash when picked up.

I no longer have to wonder which carpenter, electrician or plumber it is safe to have working in my house. No more worry about frozen pipes, leaking roofs, flooded cellar, broken tree limbs or getting sidewalks cleared of snow by the township's deadline. And no more ever-increasing bills for electricity, fuel, water, sewer service, garbage collection and taxes. I can even "eat out" without leaving the comfort of the indoors in the inclement weather.

I thank the Lord many times for the many "servants" who handle all the chores I was glad to give up when I moved here. All the things I just mentioned and many more are handled by the administration and staff of Landis Homes. I am aware that the individual bills I mentioned are part of my rental payments and the cost for these services increases just as my bills used to do, but I am very willing to pay my share when I consider the security and comfort of living here.

I feel I have been set free to serve others by being a Star Comforter volunteer, leading the monthly program, "Oh, I Remember" and being an interviewer for the resident interviews on WLH-TV 13. I enjoy the various ways I am being used as a volunteer.

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