Sometimes when you wake up in the morning, you never know what will unfold. On this day it began in a rush so common sense tells me to proceed with caution.
After meticulously reminding myself last night, to change my alarm for the next morning, because I was to help a friend with an impending surgery...I was to be her person, in case of emergency person...the one who would take care of her and comfort her and just be there. This is a matter for which I take very seriously, someone trusts me and darn if I am not going to fail them!
But......so goes my best efforts and I set my alarm for an hour later than I needed to be awake!!! AUGH! Really...I did that....I kept tossing and turning this morning, feeling like something was wrong...having the same dream sequence over and over, short little tidbit but the same tidbits of a dream, when I then heard my cell phone "beep" a message!!!! AHHHHH darn it!! Here we go, the "Home Alone" skit...I actually did this. Oh my word what a numb skull!
The moment I heard that beep I knew.....I had actually set my alarm wrong....by a whole hour....can I say too much on my mind at one time? SO I set forth in a mad rush grabbing my jeans and thank the Lord I had a decent shirt to wear...actually ready and brushed my teeth, ran a brush through my hair...out the door! My poor sweet friend was just standing there...smiling sweetly, unlike me who had the roles been reversed I would have been smiling yet mocking her in the worst way. She is such a better person than me..I already knew that though.
The grace for me is that she lives like....next door so no travel time and the hospital is like down the street not far, only a hop, skip and a jump actually so all in all we weren't too late. (that's my rationality anyways!) I drop her off at the door and park. She was waiting for me and we went in the waiting room. In not too many minutes they took her back...whew, gave me a few minutes to sit and wake up....and remind myself what a rat-fink I am.....and I try so hard not to be!
So here I go, they take me back to sit with her...as I walk down the hall full of sick people, attempting to over come every bit of nervousness I have in times like these...walking staring straight ahead, then I look to the left and see a little girl waiting for surgery I assume....drats, I looked! broke my own rule...makes me sad to see kids in hospitals....then I see my friend, laying there sweetly beginning to enjoy the chill out from the meds they gave her. Lucky girl!
As time past, watching her go in and out of loopy-ness was amusing, I am above all the most mocking friend anyone could have....I have no mercy but I did refrain from taking a picture, you are welcome! I feel the need to have my sista's back on that one and also I know that would come back to haunt me one day! As we sat there, me trying to get her mind off of the impending "going under the knife" by babbling on about this and that and her smiling sweetly (she does this even without the good meds!) she is a very nice person, I began to remember the people in my life that have been there for me at these trying times.
One of which is my best friend Cheryl...married to my preacherman's life-long best friend (I haven't held that against her...actually made me love her more...he is a pill...as is the preacherman, they were a team apparently!) Cheryl, has selflessly given to me more love and compassion and blood, sweat and tears than any one I know. She has hauled my sick gall bladder to the hospital, after planning me a surprise birthday party, at my preachermans request, because he was out of town with his sick dad (it was an emergency!) Needless to say she had gone above and beyond that day!
And I have to give credit to her husband for gallantly looking after my brood of kids(4) for which my daughter puked all over the house because she was nervous about me being sick! He cleaned it all up, took care of them all, fed them, spent the nite and shared his beloved with me. Dang it....I hate when I have to brag on him! He is a keeper though and a great friend and person. (okay it is in writing now....enjoy it!)
There have been too many occasions when my friend has gotten me out of a jam...been the one who took care of me and been my sole friend at times....she has lived the life of a servant of GOD that most of us never even attempt. Today I tried to pay forward the love and compassion that she has patterned before me and to me and my family.I know that I fall short in comparison (might I remind of the oversleeping incident!) but I saw today what it takes to truly serve as the Lord would have us to.
Spending the whole day at a hospital (because they take their time there...really people can ya walk a bit faster?....sorry, I digress!) reminds one of the health we take for granted and the blessing of family and friends. I did nothing heroic (besides not impatiently tapping my foot whilst the nurse slowwly works her way to us...oops, there I go!) I just did what needed to be done for a precious friend.
We did have our funny times, Lucy and Ethel not withstanding, anytime I am involved there will be drama....but she is a good patient, better than me! All that loopy-ness caught up with her by the time we got her home...and I didn't even take the curves fast...for real! Pain meds can be an evil twin at times and those two Popsicle's for which she loved...well.... lets just say she will want to clean up on isle two...behind that pretty leather couch of hers probably lies a puddle. Bless her heart I was running around like a crazy person...where is a bucket when ya need one?
She felt better afterwards, so it was worth it...nausea goes along with it all and I say get that off your tummy...I must admit puke breeds puke usually in me, but not this time, I was a trooper. Thank the Lord! She was so apologetic....bless her heart this was not needed, I felt so sorry for her. I remember well myself having the same response to that kind of medicine... it ain't no picnic!
I left her to rest and get a little bit of peace and quiet, went home and made her some comfort food, potato soup, soupy and mushy for her fragile throat (she probably wont be able to stomach that till tomorrow and also some for her men folk. Nothing worse than the Mom sick and having to worry about the helpless men...hungry...starving.....barely able to lift their heads up. Yes I know I am mean but I have four men I have taken care of.....they have all kinds of virtue but they are all still little boys when momma is sick.
So goes a day in the life. I am thankful for my friends that have had my back in my life, they all have served the Lord with love and grace. I hope I pay it forward to the people in my life, if only in a small way. People think sometimes that real ministry is in front of a huge crowd of adoring people.......NOPE. Ministry is unto the least of these and I have been the least of these lots of times. I am well aware of those who have sacrificed for me so it is a blessing to help someone myself.
Thanks Lord for the opportunity!
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