With my husband entering the hospital on April 20th,
2015 I knew that I would have to pick up the slack and take on some
responsibilities that were usually left up to him.
Not a problem I thought; how hard could it be? After all most of the household things I
already did in some minor form, so a few more things to do shouldn’t be a
problem.
How soon I learned that rolling up my sleeves and getting my knees a little dusty would take on a new appreciation of what my significant other did on a daily basis.
How soon I learned that rolling up my sleeves and getting my knees a little dusty would take on a new appreciation of what my significant other did on a daily basis.
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Becoming Someone
Else
It has been
almost a month since I’ve taken on the role of my husband’s obligations. I’m handling things better now, but that
wasn’t so when I began this new role playing.
The first day
that I needed to “be hubby” I was feeling rather confident that I could do all
that he did plus my own chores without any real setbacks. Actually it went pretty well the first and
second days, but by the third day I was beyond tired and let’s say not as
resourceful as I should have been.
I had been in
the hospital by my husband’s side for almost three days with the exception of a
few hours to take care of pets and rescues.
My husband had set things up so that I didn’t need to do some things for
ten days, excluding feeding the rescue animals and cleaning their areas.
When morning
came I needed to “go do” what he does every day, twice or three times a
day. Feeding, checking for wounds and
playing with the animals are always rewarding. On the other hand, I dreaded cleaning litters, scooping throw-up, and wiping up “fragrant” packages the rescues left because they aren’t able to make it to the litter boxes.
By the evening
of day three I was slowing down and starting to cut corners so I could get back
to the hospital. Of course this turned
out not to be a good thing to do. That
night as I sat on a bucket trying to clean the litters I began to cry, “Lord I
can’t do this. Give me strength to do
all I need to for them.”
I heard a voice
in my spirit telling me to do the best I could and it would be alright. At first I thought it was just me looking for
a way to cop out, but as I worked my way through the “duty” I felt God giving
me strength to do what I needed to for each responsibility.
As I took on the
burden of my husband, God took on all my burdens to help me through each
day. Even with lack of sleep and food, the
prayers of the Saints sustained me through it all.
Leaving a
Deposit No One Wanted
On Tuesday, May
5th my husband had been moved to the surgical wing of the
hospital. By now he was more responsive,
but still pretty heavily medicated.
Wednesday was a day of progression and he was sitting up in a chair.
We were chatting
when I glanced to my right and noticed a naked body backing into his room. I told him to look the other way and I
quickly went to the door to see who was making a literal appearance. It was a sweet 80ish year old woman who had
gotten lost and thought she was returning to her room.
She was holding
her dressing gown that was saturated in blood in her right hand, and her fully
extended left hand was supporting a bowel deposit that she was carrying down
the hospital hallway. Suddenly a nurse
swat team zoomed in on the situation and rescued the wandering lady.
Trying to
comfort the confused soul, I blocked the way so she couldn’t continue on her
wrong path.
Approaching the scene one of the nurses held out her hand and told the lady, “Give that deposit to me.” She wasn’t wearing gloves or even thought twice about what she had asked the distressed woman to do.
She was given a clean gown and together we escorted her back to her room three doors down from my husband’s.
Approaching the scene one of the nurses held out her hand and told the lady, “Give that deposit to me.” She wasn’t wearing gloves or even thought twice about what she had asked the distressed woman to do.
She was given a clean gown and together we escorted her back to her room three doors down from my husband’s.
I was so
impressed by what the nurse did and thought how petty my complaints were before
the Lord. Would I be willing to take on
that kind of responsibility for life as she did?
Secret Fruit
Later that day
the nurse who collected the holdings came into our room and said, “I’m sure glad it was you who saw that
woman. She had pulled out her catheter including the ball and was bleeding down
the corridor.” The nurse’s statement
was rather strange I thought, especially since I never met her. It wasn’t until the next day that I found out
what she meant.
She had been
watching me as I assisted in whatever I could for the past few weeks. By the
time my husband was moved to the surgical wing, the staff knew who I was
because I seemed to always be there.
When my husband
was sleeping I helped with visitors, answered waiting room phones, checked on
coffee units, counseled, prayed, gave out smoothie recipes, changed linens or
cleaned rooms. For me I just wanted to
stay busy to take my mind off what was happening in my own life. Rolling up my sleeves and getting dusty knees
while mopping floors didn’t seem that significant in lieu of what others were
doing before my eyes.
We found out
that the nurse was a sister-in-law of a man who was in cardio physical rehab
with my husband. He had told her all
about us and that we were Christians.
“But when you do
a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father (in Heaven)
who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Matthew 6:3-4 NKJV)
Our testimony
and works had gone before us. How wonderful that God had allowed us to bear
fruit for Him while we were in the middle of our own storm, because of seeds
previously sown. What we had done in
secret the Lord made public.
Appreciating
Your Life
The beginning of
May has the world celebrating the appreciation of teachers, nurses, hospitals
and mothers along with a few other holidays. Nowhere did I see the celebration
of appreciation of your own life.
As the days wear
on with me continuing in my husband’s responsibilities, I have come to
appreciate what a burden he carries for me as well as others. When I realize what he does on a daily basis
as “the usual” stuff, I am so thankful that I don’t have to do those things and
that someone else is gifted or willing to take on tasks that I’m not that good
at. It makes me appreciate my own life
and the gifts God has endowed to me even more.
Transfer the
Burden
In Galatians 6
we are asked to bear one another’s burdens to fulfill the law of Christ as we
go about being generous and doing good deeds for the Lord. God promises that our deeds won’t go
unnoticed and we will be rewarded in due season.
Sowing seeds into the Kingdom of Heaven allows us to reap eternally as well as here on Earth.
Like Moses we may ask, “How can I alone bear your problems, burdens and complaints?” (from Deuteronomy 1:12 NKJV)
Well we can’t,
and knowing that not everyone can do every job, the Lord places a desire for
certain tasks in our heart to fit us uniquely.
We need to appreciate the skills He has placed in each individual.
God does not
call everyone to be mothers/fathers, nurses, teachers or even people who care
for pets. He does however call everyone
to carry a burden for someone in need, before handing them over to Him.
“Therefore,
humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due
time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:6-7 NKJV)
In other words, “Cast
your cares (burdens) on the Lord, because He cares about your life and
appreciates what you do for Him.”
Jesus has asked
us to make a difference and do something that will count for eternity. What will He have you do for Him today?
This Week’s Challenge:
Learning to appreciate those in our lives sometimes goes
less noticed, and that’s why we are going to do something to make a difference
in the life of someone else.
Our challenge this week will be to totally take on all
responsibilities of someone we live with whether it is an adult or child
(except actual jobs in or outside the home), while still doing our own duties. It’s not a switch-a-roo challenge, but doing
it all without complaining task to show the other person how much you
appreciate what they contribute to the family.
Maybe you already have the task of being both mother and
father to your family and taking on those added responsibilities doesn’t seem
challenging. For you, the challenge will
be to take on daily duties of someone else you see every day.
Doing this may seem easy if you only do it for one or two
days. Believe me, if you take this appreciation challenge seriously you will be
thinking differently by day four.
We want to show the Lord we believe that He will give us
the strength, wisdom, knowledge and understanding to bear fruit without
wavering when it gets tough. Rolling up
our sleeves and getting a little dust on bended knees is not a burden when we cast them on the Lord, but a
blessing from God.
May He grant us favor as we learn to appreciate the life
we have been given to live before Him and all mankind.
Cast Your Burden on the Lord by Don Moen
Until next
time, appreciate favor when you see it.
“I favored you with the right gifts that suit you.”
Jesus Christ
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Content and Image Copyright from Favored1. Do not copy.
Scripture
reference was taken from the New King James Bible Version provided by Bible Gateway.Image credit: Google Images Creative Common License if not specified.
Image: Scrubbing Floors Cat Litter Box Problems Nurse Patient Matthew 6:3-4
Disclaimer Notes: Results may vary due to lack of belief.
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