It all started the Friday before. I was coming down the stairs in our house, a tray in hand, not looking where I was going. I got to what I thought was my last step, but was really two steps too short, and I went head first onto the landing. Everything I had on my tray and my body went forward but my right leg and ankle didn't. It stayed on the second stair up. I felt something pull and pop in my right ankle. It turned out, after having x-rays taken, that it is not broken but badly sprained. There was 3 days in bed staying off of my ankle.
During the next week the Preacher had so many appointments, not to mention a church service where I was not there to help get things ready. There was a doctor's appointment that took 3 hours out of his busy day. There were meetings and counseling appointments. There were calls from several people in need of food, gas money, and rent money. All of these calls were referred by our local community resource center. The Preacher has some funds available through our local ministerial association, but it always seems to be not enough. That in itself makes these calls stressful.
And if all of that wasn't enough – when would he find time to prepare two sermons? One for a funeral and one for the next Sunday's worship?
Everyday he would come home with such a look of exhaustion, stress and defeat. He knew that I couldn't help because of my injury, but he was wishing that I could take some of these burdens from him. And so was I.
I began to realize just how much of a team we are, the Preacher and I. We have worked side by side for the last 18 years. When one of us is sick or when one of us goes out of town for an extended stay, the other suffers just a little.
I know some people say they just couldn't work with their spouse but we would not have it any other way.
Even if you are not able to work side by side, we recommend that you think of your spouse as your team mate. Some one who is there that can help you in good and bad times. Someone who can alleviate the worry or stress. Someone who you can bounce ideas off of. And someone who is there to laugh and cry with you.
Go Team!
Love from the Preacher and I
And sometimes things happen that give us an opportunity to reflect on what life is about, what our priorities are, what is important. I'm not one to believe that God trips sweet people on stairs, but I know this: He knew it would happen and He used it for you to see what is important in life and who is important and to put some strength in the steel that both of you are made of and resolve and somehow, you're going to and did make it through another time in grace. Never forget dear pilgrim friend, the call to both of you is one call. You are not out of the ball park, you're in with the team, the team of Preacher and you. Keeping writing dear friend, heal up, listen to the doctor and have preacher carry the tray next time. Your writing friend, brother in Christ from Tennessee. Just call me "Hop-a-long" friend! :-)
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