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Previous Challenge Entry (Level 3 - Advanced)
Topic: Pen and Paper (07/17/14)
I’m sitting in the hospital room. It was expected. We knew for a couple of weeks my husband would be coming for surgery but now, now I’m here and it’s all so surreal. The surgeon’s hands have already been inside Ron’s body. He pulled things down and tied things up.

“All went well,” Doc confidently announced.

So I sit.

And I watch.

And I listen.

And I wait.

And then I help my husband as he retches. Two days of this. He’s scared he’s undone what the surgeon did.

“No way,” I say.

And now I’m lying on Ron’s hospital bed as he’s in his second surgery.

“Just going to take a little stitch out,” Doc says.

I sleep.

I wake.

I pace.

I question what’s going on. “Where is he?”

Eight hours later, he’s wheeled back into the room.

The surgeon explains Ron did undo it all with the retching.

So here I am again.

I sit.

And I watch.

And I wait.

I refuse to go home.

I can hardly stand to see him weak and frail. There’s nothing I can do to bring strength into his body. There’s not much I can do to help.

One of the few times I leave the room is to replenish my glass with iced tea. Such a silly thing to enjoy but I do. Enjoy it, I mean. It just magically appears in a pitcher in the kitchenette near our room.

While I’m there God speaks to my heart – find a pen and paper. I have no idea why but I do it. I have my laptop. I have my Nook. I’m lacking paper. No pen. I empty drawers. I make a mess to do God’s bidding.

Score!

I go back into the kitchenette to retrieve my tea glass and I know what God wants me to write:

“Thank you to whoever makes the iced tea! I appreciate it very much!”

I tape it onto a shelf and go back to my husband.

Funny thing is, God is opening my eyes to all kinds of ways to minister to others now that I did that little thing.

And…my husband is recovering nicely. Weak as a kitten but getting better every day. Hopefully we are home soon.

So…the moral of this story? Enjoy a refreshing glass of iced tea once in a while and listen to God when He speaks, even if you think it sounds crazy. He just might have some exciting things lined up for you. My days here sure have been. Exciting, I mean.

“It’s a pleasure to serve You, Lord!”
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This article has been read 905 times
Member Comments
Member
Date
Glynis Becker
07/24/14
An interesting twist on the topic. And a great reminder that God does still speak to us even in the smallest of ways.
Brenda Rice
07/25/14
We have something in common besides writing...I love iced tea.
I like your story. It is well written.

Carolyn Ancell
07/25/14
This story held my attention all the way through. One tiny suggestion: If your opening sentence had begun with your being in "Ron's" hospital room rather than "the" hospital room, I would have been oriented more immediately to the picture.
Anita van der Elst
07/25/14
I could almost see the cobwebs developing as you waited and waited again. ;) Well-written account. Glad your husbands on the mend. Would love to know what some of those exciting experiences were. Maybe in a future writing challenge?
C D Swanson 
07/26/14
Thank you for sharing this with us.

Sometimes, it's the simplest things that can catapult us to a greater understanding, in this case it was the iced tea.

Unique and heartfelt approach to the topic, and I'm so relieved to learn your husband Ron is going to be okay. Thank God.

Well written.

God bless~


Danielle King 
07/27/14
Well, I like black tea, thick and steaming hot, but your tale still gave me something to think about. A creative take on the topic and an enjoyable read.
Joshua Janoski
07/28/14
So glad your husband is ok. You did a great job showing the nerves and restlessness of sitting in a hospital room waiting for someone to come out of surgery.

I love iced tea too. It's cool that you took the time to thank someone who may or may not have felt like what they were doing was appreciated. I hope to learn from you and try and find those little ways of showing God's love to others. I can definitely improve in that area.

Always good to see you writing, Laury. Thanks for sharing!

Rachel Malcolm 
07/29/14
It's powerful that God prompted you to show kindness to another in the midst of your own trial. It's beautiful that you obeyed.
Judith Gayle Smith-Owens Vitouswykegardinerclark
07/30/14
I have spent countless hours by my beloved's hospital bed - praying, arguing with God and soaking pillows with my tears.

You wrote this so succinctly, so well with short choppy sentences - excellent.

I look at my hubby today and praise God for every breath he takes.

The doctors and hospital staff, the volunteers and executives all deserve thank you notes. I dispense thank you for al you do, but having a permanent record is precious.
Bea Edwards 
07/30/14
I enjoyed your glimpse into heeding the sound of His voice.