There are some times in life when your world seems to operate in a different time dimension than the rest of the world. I find that when someone I love is sick, very sick and I am assisting with care, my world revolves around medication schedules, doctor visits, and checking on my “patient.” I can lose days of “real world” time during these seasons very quickly.

This is a time when all the other items on my to do list that seemed so important cease to exist. What once seemed non-negotiable becomes trivial. Although I never hope for my loved ones to become ill, the mental reset, the heart check-in, it provides is unmistakably necessary and good for me, and in turn, everyone in my household and work family.

It forces me to seek my Father, to focus on only what is essential for the next moment. Everything else will wait, be picked up by someone else, or never really mattered anyway.

The kingdom of God becomes very near as you care for the sick and vulnerable. It is holy and precious work that I am grateful I get to do.