off call - on call

Whew.  Made it through the week.  Home for two whole days.  Plenty of time to sleep in my wonderful very own bed.  But even though I'm in a totally different state, 70something miles from the hospital, sickness has followed me.  At 9:30 pm my son calls me.  "I don't feel good Mom."  A cold washcloth and a back rub seem to do the trick.  At 11:00 pm his coughing wakes me up.  I deliver some medicine.  I get paged again at 1:00 am and at 2:00 am dragging myself from sleep to respond.  This feels too much like work!


But then I crawl in bed with the little miserable fellow.  I restack his pillows and tell him he will feel so much better soon.  I wrap my arms around him and brush his hair back.  And it's all worth it when I hear his sleepy little "Love you momma."  Now that never happens in the hospital.


That's right. Because I, your God, have a firm grip on you and I'm not letting go.  I'm telling you, 'Don't panic.  I'm right here to help you.'   Isaiah 41:13  The Message