Good Friday

This morning I thought, "It seems like I should have something inspiring to say on Good Friday." But I didn't, so I didn't.
For the first half of my life, I'd always be off on Good Friday and attend mid day service at our church. Just a short time, an hour perhaps, to contemplate the sacrifice of Jesus. It was somber and quiet. I liked it. The earth always feels a little quiet somehow on Good Friday. Or maybe I just feel a little quiet on Good Friday.
But now, it's off to work for me. And I don't have one of those jobs that gives you a half day. Hospitals just keep going and going and going. So I went to work. It was a busy and productive day. I got everything done on my list, that's quite an accomplishment since between last weekend and some sick days this week I hadn't been to work in five days. I walked into to two out of three units in an uproar by 10:00 a.m.
The sky is falling, the sky is falling.
You know those kind of days, right?
I had to put on my manager hat and do a little bit of reassuring and a little bit of "cowboy up and handle this."
Then there was the kid who was dropping F bombs, kicking walls and threatening everyone. He and I spent some quality time together.
In between were audits, reports, meetings and the like. I have some open positions and my unit is expanding creating yet more positions. I scheduled 12 interviews for Tuesday.
By late afternoon I had spent yet more quality time with my special little guy, had a confusing chat with a young lady on the adult unit which she seemed to enjoy. Assisted with a physical management and injection of an angry young man. Reviewed staffing for tonight and the weekend. Plugged a few holes in this afternoon's staffing.
I send a weekly newsletter to my staff so I finished writing it this afternoon and posted some announcements here and there.
Around 4:00 I texted the Mr. that I was on my way home.
Around 4:45 I realized not only was I not on my way home but I was very hungry. Oh, I forgot to take a lunch. Huh.
My special little guy started hollering again so we had some more quality time.
At 5:00 I went down to the adult units to check in before I left. I ran into my partner, Natosha. She had e mailed at 3:50 that she was headed home. I told her to go home and she told me to go home and we still didn't go home. She went to the lobby to talk to a worried family and I checked in on some staff who had been attacked by a patient.
A little bit after 5:00 we finally found ourselves out the door together.
Driving home I had a thought or two about not having gone to church and working on Good Friday and wasn't it sad that Good Friday wasn't special any more. Not like it used to be.
You know what? I was wrong. I've had dinner and relaxed for a moment and I realize, I was wrong.
Good Friday services in quiet contemplation are lovely and wonderful. More important than Jesus on the cross, is Jesus in the world. Today, Jesus wanted me in the world having quality time with a special little guy and confusing conversations with an interesting young woman and even talking an angry man through being medicated as 5 people held him down.
Today, the Lord's plan was to extend the opportunity to employment to a bunch of people. And to bring wonderful people into positions where they can be there for special boys, interesting women and angry men. It takes a lot of us, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, to meet those needs. In the halls that I am called to walk, there are no holidays. I was encouraged by the number of "Praise the Lords" and "God bless yous" and "Have a blessed Easters" that I received making those interview phone calls.
Jesus calling his children into the halls I walk.
In our halls, we need Jesus and people who know how to call down heaven.
I don't feel sad that I wasn't in a Good Friday service today. Today, on Good Friday, I was in service to my King.