I hafta share that while in the hospital I got a REALLY GOOD look at the TRUE heart of a servant. I had this INCREDIBLE nurse, “A”, for three days. She did EVERYTHING for me, always anticipating my needs before having to be asked. She checked on me faithfully every two hours during her shift. I never wanted or needed for anything while she was on duty!
The last night in the hospital I had a nurse that checked on me like, once during her eight-hour shift. She told me I needed to change my ice packs every so many hours, and I had to ask her where to get them (down the hall in the kitchen). She showed me where things were kept when I needed to change my bedding. It was a shock after having been so thoroughly cared for! When she found me on my hands and knees cleaning up a mess in the bathroom she told me I didn’t hafta do that~that’s what she was for. I was confused!!! My catheter backed up in that time, too. It was miserable!
Anyway, this has had me thinking on the heart of a servant and how I myself fare in caretaking. Too many thoughts to share here~I’m just soo thankful for such a clear picture of what it looks like to serve another in a way that is truly a blessing to them! “A” will forever be on my heart, and she unknowingly taught me sooo very much!
Just another tangent~hospital information v/s homebirthing information is sooo different! Don’t sit in a bath for six weeks, no driving for a week, nursing too much/too long will make you sore (which directly contradicts the information they hand out~LOL!), the fixation on wet diapers within a certain time schedule, bathing the baby so often~WHEW! Some of it doesn’t suit me, and some of it was new and good. Just a different experience all around! The hardest for me was taking my baby away for her vitals every day, as sometimes it seemed like sooo long before she came back!
This recovery has been my most difficult. It’s not a sob story! but it is different. The first day back I was a bit weepy~and testy with everyone too! This surprised and disappointed me. Today is the first day I feel like the swelling front-t0-back has significantly gone down. I’m finally able to better potty, as that has also not been, um, flowing. Very quickly though that weepiness has changed to rejoicing~I’ve heard of PPD, is there such a thing as being too high? LOL! I find myself feeling very hopeful and excited to recover and then dive into life! I have homeschooling ideas and house ideas and fitness ideas and am chomping at the bit to get started!
Frances is PRECIOUS! The children all adore her and seem to be adjusting amazingly well and quickly. I find myself sooo thankful, blessed, and content with all that I have been given! ~smile~ (((((HUGS))))) sandi
ETA how easy it is to get sloppy and develop bad habits over time! After nursing four children I had scabs for the first time~YEEEOOOOOOWWWWW! All it’s taking to get better is proper positioning~belly-to-belly and a horizontal baby. ~smile~
I’m interested in your thoughts on the servant’s heart. I think in the situation described, nurse A was really wonderful and right on. It just makes me think of other situations — particularly parenting. Am I not also serving when I tell Amy where to find something she needs, instead of always getting it for her? And it’s even more confusing with friends — if my friend is making poor decisions, what is truly serving — is it rescuing her, or being compassionate while letting her face the consequences of her decisions?
In some ways God treats us like nurse A — we are totally helpless before him, so he sent Jesus, and moved in our hearts to draw us to himself.
In some ways he treats us the other way — compassionate while we move through the consequences of our poor choices.
I really want to understand more how to do this, in my parenting and other relationships — how to be extravagantly merciful, and when, and how to be compassionately firm, and when.
Marcy, I think you brink up a vital part of being a good servant~discerning when someone is helpless and needing aide to do almost anything, as well as knowing when it’s time to gently say, “It’s time to work toward being more independent.” I am one who very strongly believes in natural consequences! However, when my husband was down with his broken leg it would have been inexcusable to not dump his waste bottle in a timely manner so in order for him to take care of his basic needs. Make sense? (((((HUGS))))) sandi
Sorry~just another thought~my darling is an electrician’s apprentice. As such, it is his job to anticipate the needs of the master electrician he is working for without having to be asked/prompted. That’s what makes an apprentice in his field good!
I definitely see a nurse as a caretaker in the same light~though I’m sure it does change in a situation like therapy for recovery. As a Mom, I loved reading Edith Schaeffer’s thoughts on caring for sick family members, as it was all foreign to me. How sad! My thoughts specifically here were about caretaking, but I love how you have taken it to another level to think about! GOOD STUFF! (((((HUGS))))) sandi
That’s exactly it. And in some cases it’s obvious, like your husband’s broken leg. In other cases, it’s not obvious which response is most appropriate.
I missed your second comment. I like that — having someone correctly anticipate or observe a need and act on it is a wonderful blessing. It’s so itchy to work with someone who you have to keep prompting.
In marriage, I would love to see more of that, too, but I have also had to learn about being okay with asking for what I want or need and not being always disappointed when my husband doesn’t notice or anticipate what I’m desiring.
HA HA! Don’t go there, Marcy! LOL! I do try to anticipate my darling’s needs, but with so much going on I admit that I fail often. I won’t tell that he does, too~LOL! (((((HUGS))))) sandi
ETA that I don’t miss the obvious, like if he’s been outside working of course I make sure to bring him lots of drinks, etc. In the middle of doing life though, I’m sure I miss a lot!
Great to hear your wonderful story. Looking forward to Frances’ SiLLiNeSS in the future.