Firm Foundation

Today we had the monthly voluntary rounds at lunch. These rounds are held for Children's hospital staff (RN, MD, Ancillary care, case managers). Resiliency/gratitude/wellness was the topic. We discussed how it takes resiliency to come to work every day in this environment. We discuss the importance of gratitude for the small things in life to maintain sanity. We also discussed the importance of having an outlet of fun and creativity.

Working in healthcare, it is easy to become calloused and cynical. Sometimes, healthcare workers come off as uncaring or unaffected by pts and the cases. While some of this is necessary, we still feel. Our hearts still hurt, get frustrated with situations in which children are living, frustrated with systems, corporations, and rules. We often laugh instead of cry at work.

Despite working in this environment, it never gets easier to know someone passed away. Even if you did not work closely with the patient. There are so many questions that surround what we perceive as a premature death. Death rattles our cages, gets our attention, stops us in our tracks, makes us reconsider how we are living . Over the past several months and years, several people in my circle of life have died relatively quickly. It always makes my heart heavy. I try not to dwell on it or question why it happened. After all, the only guarantees in life are taxes and death.

As I sit here tonight processing a recent friend's death, it is hard to keep going. To put one foot in front of the other to keep living the life I am called to live. I am reminded yet again how no one is guaranteed tomorrow. I am encouraged by listening to  It is well by Bethel. The lyrics "Through it all, Through it all my eyes are on you. And it is well with me. Let go my soul and trust in him the waves and wind still know his name."

These lyrics bring to mind two techniques that aid people who are walking after a significant surgery or procedure are to visually focus on a stationary object ahead and widen their base of support (their feet). The helps balance and posture. This carries over to life. I need to keep my eyes up on the One who does not change, Jesus. The waves and wind(circumstances of life) will crash and blow in life. I don't have to try to understand the state of the world, the circumstances of my life or anyone elses. I need to have a firm foundation or base of support  rooted in Jesus's truth and love. This child like faith is freeing. I can curl up in my father's lap and relax, cry, talk, or just be.

I can do this because Jesus died on the cross. He died alone. His own father forsook him. Because he died, I can talk to him, have a relationship with him, question him. Because of his death, the dying of the physical body here is not the end for Christians. He overcame death. If we have accepted him into our hearts, we will live eternally with him. We have the hope of saying see you soon rather than a firm goodbye. The hole in our hearts that dear ones leave will not be filled. We, however, can keep our eyes focus on Jesus and our firm foundation in his truth to keep our balance while we put one foot in front of another in the life he has given us to live each day.