Last week was not my normal whirlwind, that's for sure, but it was a whirlwind. My husband had surgery on Wednesday and as I write this blog on Sunday night, we are still in the hospital. I have spent the last five days as a caregiver. The person who spoons the ice, pushes the IV cart, holds the Dop Kit, opens the tiny pre-packaged Jell-O, straightens shoes, pillows and sheets and makes sure nothing inappropriate shows when the patient goes for a walk. While I would rather be pretty much anywhere else than here, I am happy to take care of my husband.
As hard as the job of caregiver is, it's harder to be the care-receiver. Every day men and women, normally strong members of our busy society, find themselves at the mercy of a caregiver. My dad was a man who spent a lifetime caring for others. He was the one in the 1950's and 60's, when it was a safer time, who would pick up a hitchhiker, take them home, and then give them money for food. He often handed money to a single mom or widow at church. He rarely missed an opportunity to make someone else's day brighter. But after a stroke a few years ago, he spent eighteen months depending on others to care for him. While we were so grateful for everyone who cared for him, it was extremely hard to watch our six foot three, athletic dad struggle to stand up or feed himself.
There is no doubt being in the hospital is one of the most vulnerable experiences anyone can go through. It's a time of complete dependence on other people and, mostly, people you do not know--nurses who change shifts just as you get to know them and doctors who come in and out so quickly they almost cause a breeze. Out of curiosity, I looked up the root word for hospital and found it came from the Latin word hospes (host) which is the same word we get hotel and hostel from. While a hospital does provide a place to spend the night, it is hardly in the same category as a hotel, a place we've all come to equate with relaxation and vacation. A more appropriate root word for hospital might be humbling, because it truly is humbling to let others take care of you.
As humans we seem to have an innate desire to want to take care of ourselves and it goes against our goal for complete independence to have someone care for us. Growing up we long for the day when we'll be "on our own" when we don't have to depend on our parents, when we are independent. But how does this thinking line up with God's plan for our lives? Could our desire for independence hinder our desire to let God take care of us? As I watched my dad a few years ago and then again my husband this week, I see more clearly what it means to a give someone the opportunity to care for you. In our "human" world we only "allow" others to take care of us when we absolutely cannot take care of ourselves. But, here's the deal. We are never truly able to take care of ourselves and why would we want to when God offers to take care of us. Philippians 4:18 tells us, "You can be sure that God will take care of everything you need, his generosity exceeding even yours in the glory that pours from Jesus. Our God and Father abounds in glory that just pours out into eternity. Yes."
It is so comforting to know that we have a Father who is ready to spoon ice, push our IV cart, straighten our shoes and anything else we need every day of our lives. Unlike us human caregivers, He never falls asleep in the chair, never sighs when we ask Him to cover our feet one more time, never tries to look away when the view is unpleasant. He rejoices when we allow Him to take care of us. It's the job He loves the most.
So, today, let Him take care of YOU! I call it being care-full! Full of God's loving care.
Have a great week.
Hugs, Chrys
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