The word for the week: Sacrifice
Yesterday I sent the hubs off on his yearly mission trip to
Instead of having the week to myself and reveling in my freedom and indulging my every whim (sorta) I am now spending the week tending to the needs of my 14 year old DD. On a personal note I will say that over the course of our time in the hospital and also here at home I have found myself in the position of having to help my DD with things that I have not helped her with since she was a very little girl. It has been a unique bonding situation for both of us.
Feeding her apple sauce as she laid in bed at the hospital, helping her wash her hair for the first time once we got home, helping her get dressed, tying her shoes, walking beside her so she would not fall and helping her up a small flight of steps. Let me also say that the flash backs to the very early days of motherhood are very realistic as I receive a call out in the night at around 12:30 am and then again at 2:45 am for either a dose of pain medication or the need to move from one side to the other. All these things so take me back to all the responsibilities I had when I was caring for my little ones.
So responsible and sacrifice are the words of the day.
This morning several things have been bouncing around in my mind. One of them is how I overcome the feelings of resentment when faced with having to do things I really do not want to do especially when I am simply being down right juvenile.
I set here rubbing a blister on my finger received from the exuberance and energy of our new puppy. I have over the last few days been forced to assume the role that the DD and DH had in walking the puppy, something I really do not want to do (let me reiterate “I really do not what to do this, no really…last thing on my list of fun things to do!!!!)
So this morning as I was putting on my shoes and grumbling all the while about having to endure another session of:
“Buster! Heal!”
give a good jerk on the lead.
Buster slows for a millisecond.
Buster runs ahead.
“Buster! Heal!”
give a good jerk on the lead.
Buster slows for a millisecond
Buster runs ahead again and again and again…
This is why I have a nice big fat blister on my finger!!!!!
My patience is beginning to feel a bit stretched, but you see it simply is not the poor puppies fault. I want it to be his fault but being a grown up (I hate it when I have to be a grown up!) I know that he is just being a puppy and it is our responsibility to train him in the behaviors we want to see in him. Cesar Millan makes it look so easy, The Dog Whisperer I’m not, he gets the corrected behaviors he seeks in the span of a 30 minute television show, real life takes a bit longer. I suspect that Cesar has some doggie DNA intermixed with his own genetic material. It is maddening to see him in a matter of second get a dog to alter his behavior right before my very eyes.
But I digress, it really isn’t about my frustration it’s about parental responsibility, this week for me is going to be about sacrifice, I was so looking forward to having this week all to myself again. However instead of indulging my need for solitude, catching up on my DVD’s, reading a good book, doing some much needed editing on my WIP, I will be walking the dog, tying shoes, washing hair and monitoring pain meds.
On a bright note there has been time in between doggie walks and hair washing to read a bit, I was able to finish reading "The Magician Nephew" in the hospital and I just finished “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” which was wonderful and I look forward to starting “The Horse and His Boy” sometime today so all is not lost.
We also have a long list of teenage friendly movies lined up on our Netflix queue so this will have to suffice in getting my DVD fix in.
The word sacrifice is user 157 times in the NIV bible, Jesus is our ultimate example of what sacrificial living is all about, over this next week I will be getting a real glimpse into sacrificial behavior weather I like it or not!
WOW! It makes me sit up a bit straighter when I think of my attitude over the last few days, forgive me Lord for my begrudging attitude as I walked our sweet puppy. Let me have a better attitude and really understand the true meaning of a sacrificial free will offering.
PS 54:6 I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
I will praise your name, O LORD,
for it is good.
Fast forward a few minutes.....my how things can change so rapidly......
Having stepped away from the ol' laptop for a short potty break I was interrupter by my sweet DD voice clearly ringing out... “Mom, the dog just threw up!” so now I have to close this post to go clean up a big old steaming pile of dog vomit!
My good attitude has just vanished, pray that it will return quickly!!!!!!
Y’all are so wanting to be me right now I can tell.
Blessings (can y’all hear my teeth grinding, my neck tightening up and my eyes narrowing into slits as I gaze upon his precious sweet little face)
Robin
Comments
you're smart to vent, though...it helps the blood pressure.
one day you'll look back on "her needing you" and know how blessed you were able to be there for her, and I know you already know that :)
how much would it take for us to get Cesar here, do you reckon? or maybe we can ship the pupper to his place and get the bumps worked out for you? i like that idea a LOT!
this would be a good week for some christian friends to "dd sit"...so you can hit the park with your book or have a latte with your laptop...there are bunches who would be willing
there might be some kids willing and able to be 'dog walkers' for you too! the names mara and corey come to mind :)
may He renew your strength and give you good rest...as well as dd
Meanwhile, remember not to breathe through your nose while cleaning up vomit and to narrow yours eyes so you can only see what you need to in order to clean it up. Works for me :-)
Thank you for your comment on my recent post, that made my day special.
Heidi
Love Granny