Monday, February 23, 2009

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Or, should I say... Monday tea... without a picture? We had a good night at last with my son sleeping through the night and complaining when I turned on the kitchen light this morning to push the button on the coffee pot (he is sleeping on the sofa in the family room). That is more like what I'm used to. :)

It has not been easy on top of my own challenges but I also am so happy to be able to serve the Lord by serving my children. As I wrote my brother-in-law, it was good to have my tall young man need his Mommy again when he was in pain (not good that he was in pain, though). God gives us grace to go through whatever we need at the time.

So, what was I pondering on Friday? The word "bittersweet" kept coming back to me. I love the bittersweet we find in autumn, I'll need to do some research as to how it got its name. On Friday, I was thinking how the older I get, the more I understand the word... bittersweet.

It wasn't until Christopher was in recovery and we walked to my mom's favorite neighborhood restaurant that I thought of the family history in that hospital and neighborhood. I was born in that same hospital... as was Stephanie... as was my first grandchild. My father, mother, two siblings, and my first child passed away in the same building. Many memories...

My mother lived in this neighborhood after I was married. It was in a house only blocks away that Stephanie would visit Mamaw as a child. The neighborhood restaurant where we walked for lunch was her favorite place to go for a catfish dinner with my stepfather. We'd never been there before but as we enjoyed our lunch I could see why Mamaw loved it.

At the large, round table in the middle of the room was a group of men... some dressed as contractors, one in farmer's garb, and another in a three piece suit... from the conversation one could tell these were men who had been friends since their youth. Good plain food... good people... friendly faces.

On the way home I walked by the pond near the hospital and watched the ducks (they had to be cold!). My mother took me as a child to feed ducks at this same pond just as I took Stephanie when she would visit Mamaw. We moved back to the area when Christopher was a preschooler and Stephanie was in high school. Christopher and I spent many a morning bringing our nature study drawing books to the pond as part of our homeschooling studies and now he is in college.

Bittersweet... moments that were bitter at times and the memories become sweet. Memories of Mom and Dad, memories of the day I went into premature labor, very fond memories of young children and family picnics at nearby picnic tables... sweet events with a touch of bitterness at the thought of many who are no longer with us... hope that fills us to be together again someday. The memories flooding back to me were unanticipated and took me a bit by surprise... as if someone had taken my breath away for a moment.

We went back to this hospital to find Christopher out of Recovery and into Post Op. I held his hand as he looked around with that dazed look of one coming out of anesthetic. We had a couple challenges that afternoon. One particularly sweet moment was watching his evening nurse praying for him outside his door. (As a "thank you", I left my copy of the Elizabeth George book about the Proverbs 31 woman with her... after convincing her I'd already read it three times!) :)

Now I'm helping Christopher as he is walking from one side of the house to the other every hour. His surgeon has given his blessing to Christopher's meeting with the college president tomorrow to give a speech at an important community function. He could use more prayers to get through this as he is determined to be there.

I will return soon...

9 comments:

Vintage Girl said...

So nice to hear that Christopher is home and being so well cared for. He is in my prayers..and you too. Hope you can get some more sleep soon. What a sweet thing for the nurse to do, there are such good people out there and what a blessing to have a nurse pray for you. Thinking of you, Heather

Scrappy quilter said...

Praying for Christopher and for you Brenda. Hugs

Anonymous said...

I'm so glad his surgery went well and sounds like he's on the road to recovery!

Manuela

Peggy Jo said...

Oh my friend! It was "bittersweet" when you left West Michigan, and me - sweet because I knew our friendship would stretch across the miles and I'd see you again.

But oh how thankful I am that God took you back home! Beside the fact that it IS...well....HOME:-D, the opportunities there for Christopher would not have been available here. I needed to read this.

But I still wish we could meet at Russ's. Love you all!

Nana Trish is Living the Dream said...

I will continue to pray for him. It sounds like he is really progressing. I will pray.

gail said...

Hello Brenda,

So good to hear everything went well. Try and take some time for you now. You must need to just crash on the couch yourself. Lovely memories too. Its still a bit hard for me to think about my dear Mum. She had a really tough couple of years before she died and its all still a little bit raw for me.

Blessings Gail

Anita said...

I'll be praying that he'll have strength and not overdue. I like his determination.

Abounding Treasures said...

Thinking of all of you but especially glad that Christopher is well on his way to recovery!

That word *bittersweet* is becoming one that I understand more as I get older too so I really appreciated your thoughts and memories :o)

Blessings Brenda ...

Anonymous said...

Dearest Brend, though I have been missing in action from the blogosphere--it's seemed (and has been true to a greater degree than usual for a time), I have been coming by as often as time has allowed to visit, and though I haven't been able to write and say so, have been thinking of you and praying with you and for you; though sickness, Christopher's surgery and lovingly watched over and tended recovery--always with much love. How beautiful that you are reading Habakkuk, too. And yes, what a perfect book for a time such as this. I loved reading your thoughts. Sending a big, gentle hug to you, ((precious Piggy)). Tenderly, Jewels (your bovlb ;o)