Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive," and he sure knew what he was talking about! I've been on the receiving end, and at times like birthdays and Christmas, it's not a bad thing, but there are those other times...
Linda and I drove to Churchville today to see my mother. I hadn't seen her since before Christmas, and even though I'm retired, certain ministry-related matters kept me from seeing her between Christmas and New Years. We almost didn't make it today. The weather report was pretty dismal, but we decided to give it a try, and turn back if necessary. It wasn't. Roads were dry, the sun was shining through Buffalo (a small miracle in and of itself!), and we made it there in good time. Mom is 92, so these visits are increasingly important to me.
On the way, we stopped to see a friend who is a patient at Roswell. She had asked me to come help her make her funeral arrangements, which I did on Monday. She wasn't looking at all well, which was not unexpected due to her poor prognosis. But today, had she not been in the hospital, I would have been hard pressed to know she was sick. I don't know if it was my prayers for her healing on Monday, or if this is the calm before the storm, but either way, it was good to see her feeling better.
When we got home, we received calls from our son and from a dear friend from church concerning a couple situations that have seemingly come unglued. One dealing with family issues of addiction and death, another slipped on ice last week, tore his knee up pretty badly, and is scheduled for surgery tomorrow. His mother had surgery for a cerebral aneurism today and had complications. His mother in law is dealing with what appears to be terminal cancer. And here I am, not having to face any of these kinds of stressful matters, except as a friend who is there for support.
How do we explain such lop-sided life circumstances? I am sixty-five, with almost no aches or pains, taking no medications, with no family crises even on the horizon, as far as I know, while my friends are feeling overwhelmed by double and triple whammy life challenges. They are on the receiving end of sorrow, pain, and "overwhelmedness." I am in a position to give; comfort, practical assistance, prayers. Being on the giving end means I am blessed to overflowing. I know my turn on the receiving end will come, as it has before. But for now, I am on the giving end, and am grateful to be able to do so.
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