Persevering through the Hard Times for the Reward in Store
As I look back on my life I see patterns that have help prepare me for this...
The Lord never just shoves me cold turkey into a situation. He makes sure I have the skills and experiences to help me handle them. Here is a story from my past that draws an interesting parallels...
Prior to Christmas and New Years of 1999, my husband had just completed his first year of residency and had earned his credential enabling him to moonlight (pick up extra shifts in small town ER's on the weekends and holidays). We really wanted to get away, just the two of us on a cruise, but the only way we could afford to do that was if he picked up extra moonlighting shifts over Christmas. We had 3 boys- ages 4, 3 and 6 months. We decided to have Christmas early, and then for me to go to our parents' homes over the holidays while he worked.
He planned to do a 96 hour shift,
take 12 hours off to sleep and
then do a 120 hour shift.
It was totally insane, but the hospitals had agreed to pay him double over the holidays so we decided that it would be worth it in the end.
I don't know who had it worse....
Driving 6 hours with 3 little kids was no picnic, neither was explaining to them why they had no presents while everyone else was opening them Christmas morning. New Years Eve I found myself putting kids to bed by myself while everyone else went to parties. I had though I would have help with family around, but as it turned out all of my single siblings had much more fun things to do than hang out with 3 toddlers. My boys were very busy and destructive, and it was a frustrating week trying to take care of them in a non-toddler proof home. After that week I swore I would never go on 'vacation' again by myself, deciding that staying home would have been much easier.
Scott has been so busy all week that we had hardly had a chance to talk. He was only able to sneak an hour or two a night of sleep, normally broken up in 30 min segments.
He was exhausted.
We both were, but we were so glad to be reunited!
With kids to bed, we collapsed ourselves. He turned to me and said,
"We did it! We made it through! I'm so glad that is over, but now I get to have you all to myself for a whole week."
I said, "Was it worth it?"
He said, "You're always worth it."
As I remembered this story this morning, my eyes were opened to the similarities with my life now...
- He's off moonlighting and I'm taking care of the kids trying to make this normal for them in a not so normal situation.
- We don't get to talk that much, but we had a plan before hand and we are both working our hardest to make it successful.
- Sometimes it's no picnic. It's lonely, and I miss him by my side at the parties.
- There are lots of things we are both missing out on, but there is an end goal in sight.
- A reward at the end of the tunnel.
I know there will be a happy reunion at the other end. I will run into his arms (hopefully not exhausted anymore) and ask,
"Was it worth it?"
And he will reply, "To be with you for eternity? How could it not be."
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