“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” 2 Cor. 4:18
This afternoon I noticed that the construction crews were in the process of completing the renovation of Sunset Manor. Wheelbarrows of stones and gravel are being hauled away making room for the final touches. All of this activity made me think back to June 1973 when our first resident moved into the “Christian Retirement Home” which we now know as Sunset Manor. Al Ritsema was hired as the Administrator and a matron was on staff to supervise the women living in the newly constructed 102 rooms. The vision for establishing what was to become Sunset began in 1968 when a meeting was held at Twelfth Ave. CRC to discuss the increasing needs for senior care and services in eastern Ottawa county. Before long, the demand for care was so great, more units were added in 1976, and again in 1988 when construction began on Village I. By 2002, we had maximized the use of every square inch of space when Village II was completed bringing us to almost 400 homes. On our Sunset Manor and Villages campus we now serve over 425 residents in addition to home health care through Sunset Home Services and our Meals at Home program. We have the honor of serving three generations of residents.
See the Unseen
One morning I was looking out over the fields behind our house, and all I could see was the fog. I knew that there were other houses out there but I couldn’t see them.
As I continued watching, the fog began to clear, I began to see the houses that had been there the whole time. I just needed the fog, which is temporary, to blow away. The Lord then brought to mind the verses from 2 Cor. 4:18 “So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
God’s Vision
Forty-five years ago a group of caring people came together to create a vision for what it would look like to be the hands and feet of Christ to the elderly. I can’t help but think that there were times that the future looked very foggy and uncertain, but they focused on what was unseen. I am very grateful for the wonderful blessing we all enjoy from Sunset because of the faithfulness of God’s people.