Israel has been gone since last Thursday and since he’s gone, it has seemed that life has just gotten so unbelieveably crazy.  Imanuel broke out in a rash all over his body.  I tried calling our doctor, but the department was on lunch break so I didn’t know if I should just take him in or wait.  Thanks, all of my doctor friends who helped me with this one (Albert, Dr. Orlich, my sister).  He had just reacted to the MMR vaccine (mumps, measles, rubella) which happens occassionally where a measle-like rash will appear.  Good thing that went away on its own after a few days.  The ridiculous weather really threw us for a loop.  And, I felt really sick too which made it hard to take care of Imanuel.  Anyway, all I gotta say is that if Alanna was not here to help me take care of Imanuel (-feeding him, changing messy diapers, etc!), to clear off our snow (multiple times), go shopping for me, and just be here, I think I would have had an anxiety attack by now.  Israel, you owe her big-time.    Of course I owe her too. 
Last night, Alanna rented some docs for us to watch and one was called “Secret Lives”.  It was about Jewish children whose parents had left them with non-Jewish families during WWII in hopes to preserve their lives.  Anyway, the children who had survived were so thankful to their “second parents” that they often felt tormented by the fact that there was no possible way to repay them.  When I contemplate the long history of our friendship with Alanna, I experience similar sentiments.  She has always made herself available to us when we needed help.  Endless rides to the airport and back, fixing our cars, surprise dinners, watching our pets, cleaning our house, praying for us, sending sweet cards of encouragement and just being there whenever we needed it.  This past week was filled with so many trials- the Lord knows.  There is absolutely no way that we could repay her.  And so what do you do?  To say “thank you” seems almost shameful.  All I can think of is to pray that God will bless her in a way that I never could.  I just hope and pray that I can be that same kind of friend back to her. 
And then I am reminded of Christ.  How often we feel that we’re doing Him a favor by working on His behalf.  That He owes us for all the time that we “waste” for Him.  We think that because we give him one day of the week that He ought to bless us for that.  In reality, we realize that the sacrifice He made for us cannot even be compared to the WWII families who risked their lives to save Jews.  Think about what Christ has done and continues to do for you – what He’s given up for you.  I think it ought to leave us with an even stronger feeling of inadequecy and deep sorrow that we could never repay Him for what He has done.  Then, motivate us to at least give our lives wholly to Him.  And even that wouldn’t be enough.
May the Lord help us to be self-less givers of ourselves to others and most importantly to Him.
(Can’t wait until Israel gets back on Tuesday!)