Freedom is more Damaging?!!

Believe it or not, this thought has been marinating for a year or so...and I never seemed to spit it out. so here it comes...minus the spit hahah

I was working with an RN (once upon a time) on the and the patient was really badly burned...now pause for a second...WARNING: if you currently have cardiac abnormalities or a history of Cardiac disease, please please please....stop the caffiene and salt and do continue to relax while reading our blog..lol but seriously, if you are the type of person who is visual, don't visualize this.=P fair warning buster.

So this patient, ummm Mr/Mrs Burn is almost unrecognizeable becuase of the severity of injury. He/she (for confidentiality reasons) has burns on face/head/ears/arms/legs/back/buttocks. I mean, it wasn't pretty. The name of the patient seemed familiar but didnt ring a bell...not much would ring any bells in my brain, but anyway, the RN I was working with didnt say anything either...that is, until the family of the patient came in!

All of a sudden, the RN realizes that the family of this patient and the RN are really good friends and...having your good friends' parent to take care of can be an overwhelming assignment. The patient, the patients' kin, the RN and me are in the room, and you know, the RN says "I'm so sorry about what happened..." then, being cautious so as not to be obvious, someone asks to pray....

yes, we bowed our heads, and all prayed. It felt like the MOST important moment of the day was fulfilled. I cannot describe the atmosphere in the room...it felt like the room was detached from the hospital, that somehoe, among all the rush and ado...the world stopped turning so that God can hear the prayer--The RN prayed for God's healing touch and blessing, for a great recovery, for the family to cope through this hard time...I mean, everything I learned in Nursing School cannot add up to the feeling of God leading you, hearing you, holding you, teaching you, touching others through you.

ok Victoria, get to the point...and whats with the title!

So, yea, why did I say Freedom is more damaging...I come from a church that is traditional, conservative, strict..Baptist...most of the european immigrants come from communist countries where freedom to believe and practice your faith was not an option. Here, we are SO tremendously blessed to have that. HOWEVER...time changes many things, and the devil does not sleep...as a matter of fact, he must have a pHD in deceiving....he uses his weapons against his Christian targets after a looooong time of examining the best attack method. I feel like..you know how things you can't have you want even more? like if you tell a kid he can't have chocolate, that's ALL he ever wants... well, in the communistic world, the bigger the pressure, the stronger, more sincere, more courageous Love towards our God was expressed, lived and so on.

Now that we have this freedom to practice, share our thoughts/blessings...we are BOUNDED by freedom to do so...and not only do churches (youth) become so uninterested and relaxed because of it (exactly what devil pondered would happen) , but this freedom of religion/faith causes us to be more "CAUTIOUS" about expressing it so that we don't "offdend/degrade/judge anyone else's faith. So there we stood, praying behind curtains so that no one can see or get offended.

I must admit, it kind of hurts that moments like that we tend to think should be hidden. I personally disagree. why? well, let me tell you! because I have taken care of a Buddhist who openly had his cd player playing the looooonggggg monotone prayers...I kid you not, i was in the elevator going to my car humming the darn prayers and nearly had to slap myself out of it! If I am taught to respect another person's faith, I shouldn't feel threatened to openly pray with my patient either. huh! well, i dunno what to think of all of it. ugh

but on another note, I am so proud to say that a man I havent even spoken to yet, who cleans our patients rooms every day almost, silently, slowly and humbly makes a world of a difference wihout even knowing it: first it was when he said "God Bless everyone" at the end of his shift, then it was from a patient who said "oh I am healing so well, its because the guy who cleaned my room said he prays for me every day" and another patient who said "the guy who cleanes my room brought me da Bible, so I best be readin it cuz I wanna get outta da Hospital, so Im gunna start readin it pretty quick now". hahaha a combination of smiles and tears fills my heart. Bless that man who cleans their rooms.

This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine...let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. We are free to shine darlings. free. to. shine.