“I’m going home on the 28th,” whispered the diabetic inmate who had been incarcerated for a long time. She has type 1 diabetes, meaning she used insulin to control her blood sugar. Despite the numerous accuchecks or checking her blood sugar level with a needle and giving insulin shots, she still wasn’t comfortable giving her own insulin shots to herself.
“Take care of yourself, especially your diabetes,” I replied. “Because you only have one life so don’t take it for granted.”
As I was talking with her, there was another female diabetic who came earlier prior to her. Not related to her diabetes, I kept her in the Clinic and scheduled for the jail doctor to be seen that morning. I noticed some weakness with the way she was walking when she came in. So I decided to have the jail doctor to evaluate her further.
Then, all of a sudden, I heard....
“Excuse me…Can you give me my shot?” asked this female inmate awaiting her anticipated freedom to the other sick inmate.
“Oh, no!” I exclaimed. “Don’t do that! I don’t want her getting poked with the needle that is not hers! Just try it! If you’re going home, you might as well keep practicing now so you can get used to it,” I added.
“Well, can she just help me out, even for once now?” she asked with a little bit of annoyance in her voice.
“No!” I firmly answered.
She wasn’t happy yet had no choice but to comply. It took her a long time to uncap the needle and slowly pushed the insulin under her skin on one of her arms. She gave the needle back to me when she got finished.
“See? You did great!” I hollered to reassure her. She didn’t say anything but just returned my compliment with a smile. She took her pass and went out the metal door to go back to her unit.
Witnessing is a matter of life and death. We witness in different ways. Through compassion or kindness. Sometimes, we might use tougher words when we are snatching them away from going to a fiery destination. We are to hate sins but we must witness with love to those who are still lost.
When finding a common ground, we must be careful not to fall into compromises. Our footings must be secure and safe. We must influence them for Christ instead of us, being influenced to sin. “Let your ‘yes’ be ‘yes’ and your ‘no’ be ‘no’”…[Matthew 5:37]
“20Dear friends, keep building on the foundation of your most holy faith, as the Holy Spirit helps you to pray. 21And keep in step with God's love, as you wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to show how kind he is by giving you eternal life. 22Be helpful to all who may have doubts. 23Rescue any who need to be saved, as you would rescue someone from a fire. Then with fear in your own hearts, have mercy on everyone who needs it. But hate even the clothes of those who have been made dirty by their filthy deeds.” ~ Jude 1:20-23 [CEV]
Amen, you demonstrate this each night at your job sis, love you.
ReplyDeleteWe never expected mom to live 24 years after dad died...but she did. And in the decades he was alive, she shot insulin into her body herself two times a day.
ReplyDeleteAs time went on, she was less capable and my ten siblings took turns at the task after finding mom passed out at home in a diabetic coma. Her house was sold as she could not be alone any longer, and she shuffled from child to child. Finally, she told me she could not travel from sibling to sibling, and wanted to go home.
I advised her I would scoot back from Oregon, to my spot in Florida, and move with her to PA and get a home there to take care of her. She had a stroke the weekend before return and died on her 87th birthday.
But in Oregon, she asked me to give her the diabetic shot, fill the needle with insulin, and bust the needle after to dispose the medical equipment safely.
Her thigh was sore from years of injection, so she picked a new spot and told me to inject there. I hesitated; this would hurt my mom.
I thought I could slowly insert the needle to cause less pain. Mom was upset at this novel way and knew it would hurt worse and likely not do the job right and yelled "Plunge it in fast and now!". I did. And it hurt me worse than her. I was not used to hurting mom.
But I began to see why Christ held his arms outward for the spikes willingly, without resistance, for the task to be acomplished.
It hurts worse to struggle, and the task may fail.
Neither mom nor Christ are here on Earth any longer for me to pin, poke, needle, nail, or prod them. I had mastered the technique of insulin injection, and now, the Master and Mom went home....no longer needing my skill.
But I learned something else from Christ and from mom. As verbal hurts come my way, I have allowed them to be injected fast, absorb them, and close the entry port quickly.
Now that I am on the receiving end of needles of rejection, hurt, aloneness, suffering, lies, deception, betrayal, and more (as are all of us), I have learned to let it occur quickly and be done. The pain remains; but the damage is lessened.
Gramma died at age 41 from "sugar", as they called diabetes then. Mom expected the same brevity, but managed 87 years of life, producing 12 children and 99 grandchildren and great grands before death. Most of us expect the gospel of prosperity to be willing servants of Christ. He preached suffering and servanthood and grace.
Got good health? A spouse? A job? A home?
Someone to kiss at the end of the day and share life with?
All will one day be gone, and the needles and nails will come out. That is the moment to Stand Firm!
Thanks for the memory of mom Rosel.
witnessing - coming from a Jewish family I have struggled to say anything. But my lifestyle and the 'miracles' have made them ask how? why? what? Great post. You are so awesome Rosel. Your faith inspires mine. Sarah
ReplyDeleteLove this post. Thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOnly by His grace sis Denise. To God be the glory!
ReplyDeleteOh, that was a word I needed to hear today! "Let your yes be yes & your no be no... I hae been struggling with yes & no" with my 3 year old & sticking to the no when it is what is best for him!
ReplyDeleteWylie
@ Keystone: Your mom had to endure a life-long battle with this awful disease. But I'm glad you didn't see it that way. That you perceived her long suffering as nothing but a moment...That the future glory out of Christ's pain and suffering and that of your mom's or even ours now is what we must look for! I love hearing stories from you because they always leave thought-provoking moments, aside from getting to know more about you. And I am blessed. To have met you. God bless you and no! Thank you for the awesome comment you had left today. Because I will remember now, despite the pains from rejection, slander, shame, there is nothing that I can't face knowing that my Master had faced them all before. And knowing that He conquered them all, for my [our] sake, too, then I know...victory is ours!
ReplyDelete@ sis Sarah: As Christ's reflector, sometimes, you don't need to say anything to witness. It's better they see the actions. Because "actions speak louder than words." Stay strong like what you always tell me...Back at you sister. Right back at you :)
ReplyDelete@ Parsley: Thank you for coming by and I pray you're leaving encouraged by Him...God bless.
ReplyDelete@ sis Wylie: It's never easy...But we must read further to what that verse says...That "anything beyond this comes from the evil one..." [NIV]...The passage applies more to oaths and vows. But I think if we etch it in our hearts, it's a good practice to really tell the truth in things that we say or do. But we can only identify the "truth" if we are abiding by His Word.
ReplyDeleteI am sure your words of affirmation were just what your co-worker needed. Sometimes, we just need that little nudge to keep us focused from a sister or brother in CHRIST. Thank you for always being there for me. I am home and settling back into my routine. The travel takes a toll on my being. I am still very tired, today.
ReplyDeleteBlessings, andrea
Frequently when I read your posts I find myself smiling about what an awesome nurse you are. God is so blessing the inmates (and guards too)through you.
ReplyDeleteYes I do need to remember that people are going to hell unless they receive Jesus - the stakes are truly as high as possible. You're right that we each share in different ways. My husband John is very bold and is constantly presenting the gospel in words to people (I mean I can still remember this one time we were out hiking and he starts sharing with this girl we met on the trail and pretty soon she's there kneeling down and receiving Christ), I'm more the type to befriend them, invite them to our home, and look for ways I can minister to their current needs, then the words come later. But we both believe we are following God's leading and God uses us both; just differently.
@sis Andrea: Praying for the Lord's strength to empower you. Glad to know you're back safe and sound...
ReplyDelete@sis Tracy: I am not an awesome nurse, sorry to say. I do have an awesome God Who gives me the strength to do things for Him. I am a very BIG work in progress.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing when God uses us differently. But it doesn't matter how, what matters is that we are all doing work for His Kingdom. I pray our works are always effective. To God be the glory! Blessings.
temptation to do the easy or popular thing is always before us. you chose the right thing, which is what RIGHTeousness is!
ReplyDelete@sis Janean: Loved the way you wrote "RIGHTeousness"...Blessings.
ReplyDeletesister R, thank YOU.
ReplyDeleteIn reading this, I had the same thought as Tracy, who wrote: "Frequently when I read your posts I find myself smiling about what an awesome nurse you are."
ReplyDeleteI know I sound like a broken record when I drop by here, but I'm always blessed and encouraged to see what you're doing behind prison walls. I thank you .... And I'm so glad you're willing and able to share these stories here with us, with Biblical lessons to support each story! Amazing.
I just wanted to agree with Tracy. I think you are an awesome nurse. Because of Jesus, of course, but you are awesome! :)
ReplyDelete@ sis Jennifer: Glory be to God! That's one thing I'm grateful for that when I started blogging with the hope of encouraging others, I end up being encouraged the more by other sisters and bros. in Christ. Like you. So, thanks be to God.
ReplyDelete@ sis Christy: The Lord is known to use the weakest vessel for His glory. I'm so thankful and I offer this broken vessel to be moved by no one but Him. Blessings.
ReplyDeleteSweet Sister,
ReplyDeleteI thank you for who you are. I thank you for who God has made you to be. I thank you for doing His work in such a dark place as the prison you work in...but you bring the light there through Him and Him through you. I have to say along with the others, you truly are an exceptional and awesome nurse and that is one of the many wonderful things that God has made You to be.
You fill me, encourage me, inspire me, love me for who I am and bless me every time I come here and each time you visit me.
Thank you Father for such a wonderful, loving woman of God that you sent to me, to all of us. She completely trusts you and obeys your commands. Her love for You shines through and through absolutely everything. Thank you Lord. Thank you for using her as a mouthpiece with your Word and encouragement to all of us, to every one around her. Thank you Lord.
Thank you Rosel for continuously lifting me, my husband and my family up in prayer. I love you so much dear friend.
Peace & Big Hugs,
Alleluiabelle
Know what I like about you, Rosel? You live what you preach. That is truly a gift from God!
ReplyDeleteRosel.......You continuously bless and encourage my heart. I'm so thankful to call you friend!!
ReplyDeleteSweet Blessings!
Jackie
@ sis Abelle: Thank you for your prayers always. I thank God for the renewal He brings into people's hearts. I know I have a long way to go and I still fall in my journey sometimes. But I'm so grateful that He's full of love and understanding. Always. Love back at you sister.
ReplyDelete@ sis Debbie: Thank you but...Not easy...Only by His grace...
ReplyDelete@ sis Jackie: You do, too. And that's what we get because of the unity that comes from His love. I love that we can bless each other "sister and friend" :)
ReplyDelete