The last two days...

I would like to talk about the last two days. 

I was going to post about yesterday, but in light of what I'm about to talk about, I decided to wait for some of the graduations to pass. 

With that said, in the last two days, I have witnessed two major things to see how God works in their lives.

One was a death.  One of my patients had a rough night to say the least, and the family was upset.  I tried to look for them after I sat with the doctors and nurses, but couldn't find them to talk.  I was in the office area when I got the call from another chaplain saying that the patient died, and when I arrived, the family just arrived.  They asked both I and the other chaplain to leave the room, and they mourned over their loved one.  We both waited at the door, giving comfort as a pastoral presence.  They left, and I prayed over the loved one's body.

The other story was another call for the chaplain for a patient who was about to die.  We got upstairs and the family was getting ready and saying their goodbyes.  There was a mini crowd of family members, and we filled the room with chairs.   After many others came to share their gratitude for the patient, their pastor said an amazing prayer, in which I as well as the full-time chaplain waited outside to help with anything but to also give space for the family.  I stood outside while they took the patient off of the respirator, and I heard sobbing, and people falling/fainting.  I walked out with some of the family members to the nearby lounge/waiting area.  After some time, we hear word that the patient is breathing on their own, and they will be transferred to a larger room to accomodate the 12+ member family sitting bedside.  To my knowledge, the patient was stable when I left the office around 5:40pm.  One of the comments that adds to the story is that the patient is a fighter; a stubborn one who won't give up.  And I saw that today as I watched through the patient's window and stood by with the family.

I bring these two stories up because they are both signs of God's love eventhough they have two different outcomes.  It's not that God loves one less, but it's not also that we'll ever fully understand how and why God did what God did. I heard a story today from another chaplain who said that when loved ones pass away and we are not there to say our goodbyes, it is God's way of alleviating that pain of saying goodbye, and that it is time for the deceased to return to God.  I believe that, but I will tell you that it is hard to stand in front of it and tell it like it is.  As for the other story about the patient continuing to fight on for life, there is something miraculous within the presence of God through those who believe.  The above story from the chaplain does not fit at all with the second story, and yet it is still an act of grace and mercy of God. 

I've been working as a chaplain for about 9 days, and yesterday was the first death I have experienced.  Today was the first time I stood by a family on the edge of losing a loved one.  Within these two different outcomes, I can still see God working in the lives of the patients and the family and friends who stood by them. 

I took the rest of the afternoon lightly, and hoped the best in prayer for the one patient still fighting for their life.