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Two Loved Ones with Fevers and Thoughts on Gratitude

November 21, 2018

This past weekend I had two loved ones with fevers. One had a temperature of 103.7. The other had a temperature of 103.8. One of those family members ended up in the hospital. The other did not. The first person with a temperature of 103.7 was a one-year-old boy who Melanie noticed felt warmer than usual at night. That was my son Joshua. So Melanie and I had to deal with his first illness. Though he had such a high temperature he had no significant decrease in his activity. He continued to eat, breastfeed and play like he always had been doing. This didn’t stop first-time parents from worrying and checking his temperature constantly. The next day he had a rash on his body.

Joshua had what was called Roseola. A mild, self-limiting viral illness common in children 6 months to 2 years causing a high fever of 103 degrees or higher for a few days followed by rash. In 10-15% of cases the child may have a febrile seizure. Lucky for us, Joshua did not have that. By day 3, his fever had resolved. We probably could have taken him to church. However, as first time, perhaps overly concerned parents, we had to make sure his fever was completely gone and so we kept him home most of the day.

 

The second person with a temperature of 103.8 was a woman who had been having a dry cough for weeks. She started feeling bad on Friday. On Saturday she didn’t go to church. Her sister checked her temperature and found it to be high. Now her sister, a retired oncology nurse from MD Anderson, saw this immediately recommended that she go to the Emergency Department. Was her sister over-reacting or was this move warranted? Turns out this was the right move. The hospital admitted her and they think it may be right lower lobe pneumonia though studies are pending. The person with the temperature has multiple myeloma and is on chemotherapy. In other words, her immune system is suppressed. This person is my mother.

 

Two loved ones – my son and my mother –  with a high fever of almost 104 degrees. My son’s condition resolves on its own at home. My mom ends up requiring medical attention in a specialized cancer hospital.

 

The Impelling Force

This story, on the heels of Thanksgiving, has me thinking about gratitude. Someone once said that gratitude is an impelling force. In other words, it’s something that arises from within. It cannot be forced upon you. This doesn’t mean that we cannot be proactive with gratitude. Gratitude may be like a muscle. We have to be about intentional about using it in order to reap its benefits.

 

A study from UCSD wanted to study gratitude and its effect on the heart. They looked at a group of people at risk for heart failure and gave an intervention of journaling about what they were thankful for. Those who journaled had lower risks for heart failure.

 

But one of the things that can make us grateful is this text found in James 4:13-14:

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” why you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

What Makes It Valuable?

An illusion many of us can fall prey to is the understanding that whatever I have is permanent. Whatever I have is going to last forever. We think relationships last forever. We think loved ones are around forever. We think jobs are around forever. We think ministries are around forever. We think churches and institutions are around forever. And when we know something is going to be around forever, human nature does this: It takes it for granted. It’s overlooked. The value of what we have is lessened.

 

The reality is permanence is an illusion. Now this understanding might make you depressed at first. I know that’s how I felt. But if you continue to move through that you end up on the other side of it. The other side of it is this: The thing you hold is precious because you know it ends.

My wife and I are a fans of Mod Pizza. They have a variety of different pizzas. You can customize it. You can make it vegan. Now if we had to eat Mod Pizza every week we would get tired of it. In fact we might take it for granted. But if someone came to me and told me that this was the last week I could eat Mod Pizza. That it would be gone forever afterward. I would probably eating at Mod Pizza everyday of that week.

 

Why is that? It’s because I recognize it’s not going to last forever. In fact it’s momentary, fleeting, like mist or vapor. The thing you hold is precious because you know it ends.

 

This past weekend I had a chance to help Joshua stand to feet. Then as he curled his tiny fingers around my index finger, he took his first step with my assistance. And then he decided he didn’t want to do that and got on the floor and started crawling. I found myself getting emotional. I knew for this brief moment I would be helping my boy walk. But in mere weeks, he would be walking on his own. This stage of me helping him walk would be gone. It was fleeting – like vapor, like mist. I would have it. And then it would be gone.

 

This Thanksgiving, let’s take those gifts God has given us – loved ones, health, relationships, jobs, ministries, opportunities – and cherish them. Because as James writes “You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

 

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6 Comments

  • Reply Clara November 21, 2018 at 5:55 am

    My continued prayers for you and your whole family Andrew. I am glad Joshua is doing well and much better. I also get scared when the girls have a fever. Great thoughts on gratitude. I recently started journaling what i am thankful for everyday and it does help a lot. Props for keeping it positive through these tough times.

    • Reply Andrew Roquiz November 21, 2018 at 6:53 am

      Thanks for your feedback and prayers, Clara. You are a true friend.

  • Reply Miriam Roquiz November 21, 2018 at 10:45 pm

    Uplifting prayers for divine intervention for your mom through all the health challenges she is going through. And for you, Melanie and Joshua…I’m cheering for y’all taking faithfilled steps in figuring out parenthood! You’re both amazing parents to such a beautiful little man!!! Love y’all forever!

    • Reply Andrew Roquiz November 28, 2018 at 7:42 am

      Thank you, Auntie. We appreciate your prayers 🙂

  • Reply Mom November 22, 2018 at 2:06 pm

    Inspiring write-up comparing two fevers between your son and your mom. And yes, I’m grateful to be alive to be home to receive you for thanksgiving dinner! Life is precious, will be cherishing every moment of being reunited.

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