They took my father-in-law today out to the farm to see the house. They used the camp’s backboard from down at the beach to make a stretcher that they could carry him on. My husband’s uncles came and helped with the carrying. They put the seats down in one of the vans and drove him out that way. He isn’t able to get out of bed or to move that much on his own.

I wasn’t there. But it reminded me of the story where the men came carrying a paralyzed man to see Jesus. They carried him around the house and went inside. About a week and a half ago the uncles and local farmers came and harvested his crops. The neighbor at the end of their lane has been mowing the lawn and the ditches. He chose who he wants to rent the land to.

At my practicum today there was a woman suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety. My supervisor asked if I could look up some resources that we could pass on to her. They already had a standard list for childcare assistance, but I looked up more information about the crisis nursery in town. It seemed like there ought to have been something more for me to give her.

The psych rotation during nursing clinicals was my least favorite. It was the only one I didn’t like. It seemed so foreign to me and I was still thinking that everyone with schizophrenia was merely demon-possessed. My first patient was a girl with borderline personality disorder. They’re supposed to be very untrustworthy, so the whole time I was wondering whether or not she was lying.

I knew what the answer was. I was going to pray with her and I did. I remember feeling like I had somehow rebelled, but in a good way. Now they give you this list of what is considered to be the least risky/inappropriate types of spiritual practices all the way down to the most risky/inappropriate. All three of the teachers at different times have highly discouraged praying in sessions.

I don’t totally get it, but I guess I’ll listen. That is one of the things that’s hard about being a Christian in these kinds of environments. Not only do I wonder why the church can’t do more, can’t somehow being more involved in meeting people’s most basic physical and spiritual needs, but I wonder why we can’t just heal each other anymore. I now there are other ways that healing comes.

So that’s where I’m at. I wish the church was perfect but one day we will be. I know God uses us to love people in ways larger and small. In my own life personally and publicly I know he still works there. And I’m thankful that he does for however long these days are written. Whether we’re out and about in the world, or safe at home nearing heaven, at daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place.