Like A Vapor...Here Now...Then, Gone Just Like That

“I tell ya, I have a feeling that he will start hitting his head again once he wakes up from being sedated,” confidently reported the outgoing Intake Nurse to me, the incoming night nurse.

He was talking about the suicidal man who earlier was so loud, crazy, and started hitting his head and punched the heavy metal door with his right hand. That there was no choice but to send him out to the county’s ER so he could be treated for a laceration he sustained on his left eyebrow and his knuckles that got swollen on his right hand. In ER, the doctor gave him a combo of medications to calm him down and make him sleep.

Confident as he was, my confidence was on my Guardian, Whom I sought before going to work that night. Knowing that I was always limited with things that were about to happen. While He already knew before hand. I remained hopeful that my pleas were answered even before things were about to occur.

I checked on the naked man. Naked, as he was very suicidal and not allowed to have anything to prevent him from using them as potential weapons to hurt himself. The wild man the PM nurse described was calm in front of me. He was answering appropriately. He was cooperative. He declined my offer of water. He was positive that he wasn’t thirsty at that time. He thanked me when I told him that I would monitor him all night long. The loud yelling was replaced with soft whisper-like answers through the slits of the metal door so I could hear his replies. The angry demeanor depicted from the report had a smile shown to me and even in the soft glow of the yellowish light inside the cell, his perfect teeth glistened.

“Sleep! Go get some rest,” I commanded.

“I can’t. But I’ll try, Ma’am. Thank you,” he softly uttered. I saw him get down on the cold floor. Turned to his left side and used his left arm as his pillow. Slowly, he closed his eyes. And he remained quiet all throughout the night. He never gave me any problem.

The PM nurse’s prediction did not happen. It was my answered prayer that prevailed.

There is nothing wrong with being confident in this life. But life is like a fog. Here now…Then…Poof!!! Gone just like that.

We easily forget that we don’t have a lot of time to live. We just don’t know everything that is about to happen. If we want to have a meaningful life, we must live each day for Christ! So that, no matter what happens, even if our lives end, then we will discover that we have fulfilled what His plan is for us.

“13 Look here, you people who say, “Today or tomorrow we are going to a certain town and will stay there a year. We will do business there and make a profit.” 14 How do you know what will happen tomorrow? For your life is like the morning fog --- it’s here a little while, then it’s gone. 15 What you ought to say is, “If the Lord wants us to, we will live and do this or that.” 16 Otherwise you will be boasting about your own plans, and all such boasting is evil.”
- James 4:13-16

So...now...what are you doing here still? Go tell your spouse, children, friends that you love them :) Give them a hug and a kiss. And spend each day as if it's the last. Lord, may we be aware of each passing minute. That every minute is so precious. May we not waste the time doing things that do not glorify you. Please give us the boldness to share Your gift of forgiveness to those who haven't known nor heard about it. May your will be done in my life, O Lord. Thank You for Your love and mercy. I love you Lord. In Jesus' Name. Amen.