Things to Do

Almost a month has passed since I posted my last post. Perhaps the significance of this is that life for me this month has moved at a pace much like those "speed you up" walkways at airports. I'm sure those have names, but I would have to pause to look it up. No such thing happening right now.

My life, for the past month...

Our "quiet" family life of the summer revolved around Evander's karate classes, Emma's lifeguard training, Paul's search for a job, and my training for running up and down some hills. There. Oh, that's just the start of this month.

I can almost smell the hospital on my hands.

I think I spent six nights this August with my sister at Legacy's Good Samaritan Hospital in NW Portland. I "slept" in a recliner that mostly reclined, and tried to be ready to help move her medicinal cart and cords when she needed to use the ladies room. I tried to offer her comfort, food, and laughter to help her heal while she was being treated for Leukemia.

This trying is trying.

Being that God is in charge of the universe, and the author of all our stories, I didn't quite know what to pray for/about when this whole trial began. But that first visit with my sister in the hospital gave me a start. She was ready to face this disease head on, as she said she had "things to do." So I prayed He would allow her those things to do.

I have found in trying to help her to get these "things" done, that if I just slow down and be with, and love the people God has brought in my life, I have less "things to do," and more time to just enjoy the being. The breathing. The seeing. The hugs. The "I love yous."

So maybe those are the kinds of "things to do" that my sister has in mind.

Those fast moving "speed you up" walkways at airports don't allow for that.