Ode to the Business Card

I've not written here for awhile...not because I've not had things to say, but because my mom has been in the hospital, mostly in ICU, since October 24th. She is making small strides which are encouraging....and I can attest to the power of prayer throughout all of this. Taking care of my 3 month old, being back at work and caring for my 96 year old grandmother with dementia on top of it all has been quite challenging...
Now onto what I really want to talk about: business cards. I've not been one to go out and get cards made up right away once I've shown up at a church. Why? It seems like every time I get business cards, something changes. Once it was my name (after I got married), a couple of times it has been my email address. I always seem to have to change something on my cards. But I've realized throughout this time with my mom why it is so important for pastors to have business cards.
WHY?
Well, there was some confusion about whether my mom's pastor visited her in ICU. Another pastor was kind enough to contact her church and the pastor to let them know she was very ill. She's been awesome about checking in with me and offering care to me throughout all of this (and visited my mom a couple of times, too!) Having heard nothing from the pastor, I thought for sure he had not visited. I asked her nurses who said they had not seen anyone but my brother and I...so I was puzzled. (I was there in the beginning almost twelve hours a day--husband and baby in tow...) When I talked to him he said he had seen her and then described an accurate picture of what he experienced (and I knew he had been there because it matched her condition at the time!). Had he left a business card somewhere in the room (on the little table, tacked to the board, etc.) letting us know he had been there, it would have offered a little bit of spiritual relief. Instead, we went on the notion that he had not gotten over to see someone from his congregation who was in critical condition. (Not a good image for a colleague to have of another!) I share this not to criticize my colleague who I respect, but to encourage all of us to see how this is a helpful practice!
The moral of the story: even if your card is inaccurate and the person you visit seems to be coherent, leave a card so that the family knows you have been there to see their loved one. It may seem silly, or simple, but an easy way to provide pastoral care.