Sunday morning and wife watches husband sitting in church with arms folded. He looks exhausted, yet he is here. He worked through Saturday night. 1 a.m.- 8 a.m. Wife fed him hot breakfast after which he showered and went straight to bed. She watched him sleeping soundly as she dressed for church. It fills her with an emotion hard to put into words. This is the one who left her side all night to be there for an older, lonely woman in the back of an ambulance and then after returning to town hours later, turning around and taking a mom with a very sick two year old to another town, [a very tired mom who was wanting a few precious hours of sleep as much as the baby would allow the EMT to care for her/him.]
Sometimes words of affirmation aren't enough to express the sentiments the wife feels for her husband. She wants to say a lot, to say every emotion that fills her heart through the hours of the cold, lonely night. She wants to express her anger and defeat after not being able to sleep without him and then the compassion and grace that floods in when he walks through the door after 8 a.m. She notes the shadow beard, the weary eyes, and the tired frame. How his concern for others before himself drives him through the night. The trust he has to leave the good wife through the night speaks volumes to her that he knows she is big and brave enough to support him again, and then when he arrives at church after sleeping only a few short hours. She wants to shout to the world, "There's my good man! He's kind, compassionate, and he's mine!"
Sometimes words of affirmation aren't enough to express the sentiments the wife feels for her husband. She wants to say a lot, to say every emotion that fills her heart through the hours of the cold, lonely night. She wants to express her anger and defeat after not being able to sleep without him and then the compassion and grace that floods in when he walks through the door after 8 a.m. She notes the shadow beard, the weary eyes, and the tired frame. How his concern for others before himself drives him through the night. The trust he has to leave the good wife through the night speaks volumes to her that he knows she is big and brave enough to support him again, and then when he arrives at church after sleeping only a few short hours. She wants to shout to the world, "There's my good man! He's kind, compassionate, and he's mine!"
well, I bout cried!
ReplyDeleteThat's weird. Bruce said that very thing. He felt understood. I think it meant a lot to him. I didn't expect comments on this one. It's a little sappy....
DeleteA little Sappy, but sweet.., Bruce is a kind Man I've seen him showing Jesus through his Kindness on a call that no other EMT's want..Judy
ReplyDeleteThats nice to know Judy, thanks and I'm gonna tell him too.
DeleteI like it! You're a good wife, Shilah. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Kendra, I'll make sure Bruce knows! :) Ha!
DeleteI found your blog on Luci's. :) I have been enjoying it greatly, and when I read this post, I wanted to tell you that I totally get this. My husband is an EMT too, and there have been many times when I felt a bit angry about playing second fiddle to all those sick people. Then he became a nurse and now he has to work a lot of weekends... I hate it and I love it, because I know that if I were in a crisis, I would want the nurse that knows Jesus. I also get the post about supporting your husband (especially when he makes unorthodox choices) and not worry about what people say. ;)
ReplyDeleteHi, nice to meet you, I agree and have had the same thought about my husband knowing Jesus and getting to be that person to those in need. I have so much joy in seeing him help others have a good day. It is a small sacrifice in the light of that.
ReplyDelete