Well, I asked for it

When I was reflecting about how well I have been doing what God has called me to do - I decided I needed to work on it - that I wasn't always giving 100% at work, that there were ways I could go over and about what was needed to do a truly remarkable thing. I have people with needs at my disposal all day - I should be really connecting and doing better.

I decided this week to start working on that. I think I am doing better. I came back last night after a meeting across town because there was one more patient to be seen. I could have passed that on to the ICU nurse, but opted to take care of it myself. I was glad I did, because there were some items I had in my office stash that the nurse didn't have - and the patient was in need.

More importantly, it enabled me to get some great positive feedback. I had a patient who was discharged on Monday after having a sore go from bad to gangrene to amputation in about a weeks time. He was charming, and I spent a lot of time talking to him about diet issues and medications and doctors. Last night when I came back to the hospital, he was in the hallway. He grabbed me in this big bear hug and said he was glad to see me - I usually don't get THIS kind of a reaction. Anyway, he was concerned, he is still getting IV antibiotics, but he has another sore - I could see the thoughtline continuing - and this one was further up on the foot and he didn't want to lose the whole foot. I assured him that he was doing the right thing, getting it looked at early on. And that this time was different - he was already on antibiotics. He was visibly relieved.

When things like this happen, it helps me see that sometimes there is a whole other plan in operation than what I can see in my little circle - people who come into our lives to heal and offer comfort like Christ would if He were standing in front of you. The Body of Christ is like that - sometimes we are the hands, and the voice - for me it is usually totally by accident.