So I decided to not consult Mr. Webster or Mr. American Heritage to find the definition of construction. After all, I grew up in a constructor's household and married a constructor. We all know what it means, maybe not on a grand dictionary definition scale but it's simply "build". And I'll bet many of my friends know where this post is going.
Some days it's easy to build an attitude of gratitude. Other days we tend to forget about all the things we are to be thankful for. I don't know without looking it up where it is in the scriptures --somewhere in the New Testament--, but I'm sure the scriptures say that "in EVERYTHING give thanks." It doesn't say in every GOOD thing give thanks but in EVERYTHING give thanks. And that's even for the bad stuff. Hard to construct an attitude of gratitude during the I-don't-know-how-I'm-going-to-make-it-through-this time of life.
The Husband has been working on his garage lately. He started out doing it alone. I will say that The Husband is a hard worker and once he is focused on a project, he works and works and works without asking for help. When I asked him in the beginning how much it might cost to hire someone to do it, he gave me one of those looks any wife would recognize that looked like the wife might have grown many horns on her head. Needless to say, he answered nothing.
So he worked and worked on Fridays and Saturdays and as time went on, he had friends that helped....The Brother-in-Law, The Fishing Buddy, and The Fishing Buddy's Brother. I told The Husband that he had some REALLY good friends. And he agreed.
This past Saturday The Husband, The Fishing Buddy, and The Fishing Buddy's Brother were working together and were winding down the workday and putting felt on the roof. The Fishing Buddy, being afraid of heights, was not on the roof but the other two were on the roof. I looked out of the window at the progress, saw them there, entertained the thought that they really were pretty old to be doing such, and went to the kitchen. About 5-10 minutes later, The Fishing Buddy came running in and told me to call 911. The Husband had fallen off the roof. My worst fear...a gut feeling I had for weeks and there it was. Happened. Just like I feared.
The most amazing thing is that I kept my composure even though I was shaking inside and did what I needed to and answered questions asked. The 911 dispatcher told me to go out to the guys and answer her questions. I had not realized The Fishing Buddy's Brother had fallen also. Seems the felt had come loose and both guys started to slide quickly. The Fishing Buddy's Brother was sitting on the trailer holding a bleeding hand. The Husband was lying on the ground on a 2 x 4 between the garage and and the trailer. Both were awake and talking which helped my feelings a good bit. I called for The Girl and The Son-In-Law who came quickly. If we ever doubted The Girl is a Daddy's girl, all that doubt is gone. She was not happy her daddy had fallen from the roof. Duh. The Son-In-Law was a rock and I felt so blessed he was there with his calmer composure.
The paramedics came quickly and long story short, transported both guys to the hospital closest with a trauma center. They said falling from a 13' high roof was very much a trauma. The Fishing Buddy's Brother got 6-7 stitches in his palm and a tetanus shot and was released. He wanted to stay to hear from The Husband but I sent him home. I was so sorry he fell. So sorry.
As for The Husband, he was scanned from head to toe and had a rib break and another small bone break with bruises and contusions...more than one. He's been home and I've been his shadow since Saturday night. Did I say that yesterday he coughed and broke yet another rib? I know he's growing weary of it but be assured--my attention will continue. The Husband now walks with a cane and is up walking a good bit. He does weary quickly. I don't think he enjoys being at home all the time, but has very little choice in the matter. His nurse is strict, you understand?
So with all of this, I have learned to build my attitude of gratitude. Saturday could have been a day that changed our lives forever, but so far, I feel The Husband and The Fishing Buddy's Brother will heal. In time. Don't folks say that time is a healer? That's certainly been proven time and time again.
I relive the Saturday afternoon and am grateful for friends who help. I did explain to The Fishing Buddy's Brother that he proved my point of "no good deed goes unpunished". I'm grateful that the Husband and The Fishing Buddy's Brother are not exceptionally badly hurt. I'm grateful that The Husband so far has listened to me and accepted my "nursing skills". I'm grateful that the EMS got here quickly and were caring. The list is endless.
Maybe one might say I should wonder why God allowed such to happen. Couldn't He have stopped it? Sure He could have. But I have enough faith in my God to know that He sees the whole big picture and does what's best for us. That's where faith comes in. And of course, we have to mention the grace and mercy that follow. I hope that this week and forevermore I will have the attitude of gratitude for EVERYTHING and give thanks to the Lord for taking care of us in His way.
Some days I might wish I could see the future but when I consider that, I realize I really don't want to know. It's enough to know the ONE who holds the future. That's enough for me. I'll just continue on one day at a time.
Some days it's easy to build an attitude of gratitude. Other days we tend to forget about all the things we are to be thankful for. I don't know without looking it up where it is in the scriptures --somewhere in the New Testament--, but I'm sure the scriptures say that "in EVERYTHING give thanks." It doesn't say in every GOOD thing give thanks but in EVERYTHING give thanks. And that's even for the bad stuff. Hard to construct an attitude of gratitude during the I-don't-know-how-I'm-going-to-make-it-through-this time of life.
The Husband has been working on his garage lately. He started out doing it alone. I will say that The Husband is a hard worker and once he is focused on a project, he works and works and works without asking for help. When I asked him in the beginning how much it might cost to hire someone to do it, he gave me one of those looks any wife would recognize that looked like the wife might have grown many horns on her head. Needless to say, he answered nothing.
So he worked and worked on Fridays and Saturdays and as time went on, he had friends that helped....The Brother-in-Law, The Fishing Buddy, and The Fishing Buddy's Brother. I told The Husband that he had some REALLY good friends. And he agreed.
This past Saturday The Husband, The Fishing Buddy, and The Fishing Buddy's Brother were working together and were winding down the workday and putting felt on the roof. The Fishing Buddy, being afraid of heights, was not on the roof but the other two were on the roof. I looked out of the window at the progress, saw them there, entertained the thought that they really were pretty old to be doing such, and went to the kitchen. About 5-10 minutes later, The Fishing Buddy came running in and told me to call 911. The Husband had fallen off the roof. My worst fear...a gut feeling I had for weeks and there it was. Happened. Just like I feared.
The most amazing thing is that I kept my composure even though I was shaking inside and did what I needed to and answered questions asked. The 911 dispatcher told me to go out to the guys and answer her questions. I had not realized The Fishing Buddy's Brother had fallen also. Seems the felt had come loose and both guys started to slide quickly. The Fishing Buddy's Brother was sitting on the trailer holding a bleeding hand. The Husband was lying on the ground on a 2 x 4 between the garage and and the trailer. Both were awake and talking which helped my feelings a good bit. I called for The Girl and The Son-In-Law who came quickly. If we ever doubted The Girl is a Daddy's girl, all that doubt is gone. She was not happy her daddy had fallen from the roof. Duh. The Son-In-Law was a rock and I felt so blessed he was there with his calmer composure.
The paramedics came quickly and long story short, transported both guys to the hospital closest with a trauma center. They said falling from a 13' high roof was very much a trauma. The Fishing Buddy's Brother got 6-7 stitches in his palm and a tetanus shot and was released. He wanted to stay to hear from The Husband but I sent him home. I was so sorry he fell. So sorry.
As for The Husband, he was scanned from head to toe and had a rib break and another small bone break with bruises and contusions...more than one. He's been home and I've been his shadow since Saturday night. Did I say that yesterday he coughed and broke yet another rib? I know he's growing weary of it but be assured--my attention will continue. The Husband now walks with a cane and is up walking a good bit. He does weary quickly. I don't think he enjoys being at home all the time, but has very little choice in the matter. His nurse is strict, you understand?
So with all of this, I have learned to build my attitude of gratitude. Saturday could have been a day that changed our lives forever, but so far, I feel The Husband and The Fishing Buddy's Brother will heal. In time. Don't folks say that time is a healer? That's certainly been proven time and time again.
I relive the Saturday afternoon and am grateful for friends who help. I did explain to The Fishing Buddy's Brother that he proved my point of "no good deed goes unpunished". I'm grateful that the Husband and The Fishing Buddy's Brother are not exceptionally badly hurt. I'm grateful that The Husband so far has listened to me and accepted my "nursing skills". I'm grateful that the EMS got here quickly and were caring. The list is endless.
Maybe one might say I should wonder why God allowed such to happen. Couldn't He have stopped it? Sure He could have. But I have enough faith in my God to know that He sees the whole big picture and does what's best for us. That's where faith comes in. And of course, we have to mention the grace and mercy that follow. I hope that this week and forevermore I will have the attitude of gratitude for EVERYTHING and give thanks to the Lord for taking care of us in His way.
Some days I might wish I could see the future but when I consider that, I realize I really don't want to know. It's enough to know the ONE who holds the future. That's enough for me. I'll just continue on one day at a time.