Oh, for the love of God!

Now seriously, what does that mean? I've known it as an exclamation of frustration: "I can't even begin to believe that that happened!" "You can't be serious!" "Stop doing that!"

Today my son was prescribed his 3rd round of antibiotic for strep. My thought, "For the love of God, what is going on?" He has been home sick for more than two weeks. Another doctor's appointment, more missed school, new meds. Damn, really? It was demoralizing, exhausting, frustrating.

Then something extraordinary happened. I was planning on meeting a dear friend for lunch. I've had to cancel with her several times over the last few months because my dear boy has been sick. When I called her she did what she does, she loved me. She heard the fatigue and frustration in my voice and she told me she would call tomorrow to check on me and then she asked me to do one thing. She asked me to find a way to take care of myself and told me she would look forward to hearing what I had done.

Her act of love, changed my focus. I still had to fill the new presciption, make him comfortable, do my work... but rather than feeling frustrated, I found myself thinking, "what will I do for me?" After we got home and settled in, I opened a good bottle of wine, $18 for me is good, and watched a movie I had saved. While he rested, I rested and lost myself in good wine and entertainment. I realized later, I had forgotten that tomorrow is Valentine's, so I had to go to the store, while I was out I treated myself to a few things I had been wanting.

For the love of God. By the love of my family, my friends, I am truly blessed. Sometimes, I think I do this on my own, a single mom keeping our small family going. And a moment later, my support swoops in. I'm never alone, by the love of God I can do this. With the love of God we will be fine. I don't know how the other usage came about but I vote we stop it completely - for the love of God.