“Same Ol’, Same Ol’?”

 “Same Ol’, Same Ol’?”

For the past ten years I’ve worked as a chaplain in hospital and hospice settings. I’ve picked up some medical knowledge during this time so have to be careful about appearing to be giving opinions or advice in an area in which I’m not trained or qualified. Clinical practitioners use many abbreviations for equipment and procedures (MRI, CAT scan and EKG to cite a few). I’ve become familiar with some of these terms but frequently run into one I’ve not seen before on patient referrals so have to ask one of my colleagues to explain.

Perhaps the one I saw most often in my hospice work is ADL, standing for Activities of Daily Living (dressing, bathing, eating, walking, etc.). As a patient’s condition worsens he or she will need increased assistance in these areas which most of us (myself included) never give a second thought, much to my shame.

During a recent day at the hospital I made 17 visits to patients (and in some cases family members if the patient was unable to communicate). The sobering factor for me was that twelve of them were younger than I am! It’s at times like this that I must stop and thank God for the good health He’s given me throughout my life and ask Him to keep me from taking this blessing for granted.

I don’t know where it came from, but the phrase “same ol’, same ol’” has crept into our modern vernacular to describe a situation which seemingly never changes. (For example, in response to an inquiry, “What’s new with you?” one might say, “Same ol’, same ol’”.) Solomon may have been thinking this way when he wrote, “What does (one) gain from all (his or her) labor at which (one) toils under the sun?...What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 1:3,9, emphasis added). How much better off would we be to say with the psalmist (likely David), “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24).

Even though we might not see great changes from day to day God’s blessings continue with each sunrise. In the words of Jeremiah, “The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.” (Lamentations 3:22-23, NLT, emphasis added). Sounds like anything but “same ol’, same ol’” to me—how about you?

(See the earlier article “A Routine Day?” for another take on this theme.)

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan