This is worse that smashing my thumb with a hammer.

I remember the day I smashed my thumb with a hammer.....twice! My friend asked if I would help shingle his parent's houseroof. "Sure", I confidently replied! The job was going well and 70% of the job was complete. As the day wore on, I grew weary. This 'once in a while' physical exertion was taking its toll on an out of shape body. As the hammer came down on the next roofing nail, the framing hammer head landed squarely on my thumb. Imagine a person writhng on a sloped roof, uttering unintelligible words, and seeing blood oozing from the injury. It was fun day! My friend, standing on the ground heard my agony and did what friends do. Hey, are you okay?...snicker, snicker...

It wasn't ten minutes later and after a quick tape job of the thumb when the scene replayed itself. Same writhing, more unintelligible words and the same humorous question from my buddy. The pain is excruciating! Dare I say, it brings a healthy sweat to your forehead. But...

I believe there is a pain far greater than smashing thumbs with hammers.

When your spouse or children are sick and you would love to be able to help them and can't, that my friends is a pain that cannot be described. Last night was one of those events. Last couple of blogposts have been focused on my wife and her immeasurable importance in my life and life of our family. This 'dear heart' was stricken with a severe case of illness. Try as I might to meet her needs and lessen her anguish, nothing seemed to help. The pain of not making her situation improve brought with it a sense of helplessness far beyond smashed thumbs. Then I remembered a piece of text from the wisdom literature of Solomon.

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their

work: If one falls down, his friend can help him/her up. But pity the man/woman who

falls and has no one to help him/her up!" (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, NIV) [female pronouns added]

I cannot count the times my wife, my soulmate, my love picked me up and carried the weight of the world on her shoulders. If I can do anything, I'll sit beside her, provide whatever she requests and if necessary do nothing more than be present with her. It is all I can do. It is all I will do.

{PS: When she asked if she kept me awake, I said, "No, not at all." After a pause, I said, "Well just a little." Then I whispered, "that is the 'for better or worse' part.")