Suck it Up Soup

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. – Romans 8:38-39

If you walked in my house today, you’d see the carnage, then you’d run for your life.

The kitchen island is littered with medicine bottles, vitamins, and half empty 7Up cans. Boxes of Lysol and Clorox wipes are everywhere, reminding us to wipe down everything. My daughter’s bedside table is covered with Kleenex, Gatorade, more medicine bottles, and a frequently-used thermometer. Yes, we’re in the trenches of the flu. 

It seems like everyone, everywhere I go, wants to give me advice about the flu.

The sales clerk at Walgreens predicted that the flu will end in three weeks, “so hang it there.” A friend swears by dripping vitamins under your tongue. My mom suggested buying a better thermometer to keep track of the fever. The cashier at the grocery told me chicken broth will do the trick. And my husband, an emergency room doctor, tells me to throw the thermometer out because “nobody cares about a fever” and is convinced that the only medicine our daughter needs is a bowl full of “Suck It Up Soup.”

Suck It Up Soup has been our family’s remedy for almost every sickness or injury we’ve had over the past twenty years. It’s not an actual soup recipe. It’s a reminder to, in Dan’s words, “quit yer whining.” I’m just now questioning our parenting practice. Maybe that wasn’t the most loving response after all. 

I’m so thankful God doesn’t tell us to us “suck it up” when we face fears, anxiety, or depression. Instead, He boldly proclaims that nothing and no one can separate us from His great love (Romans 8:38-39). 

So I serve my daughter with God’s love flowing through me. I sit with her in the middle of the night when I hear her coughing. I drive all over town picking up her favorite foods to soothe her hunger. And I rub her feverish back with lotion as I tell her I love her and agree that “the flu is the worst.” 

That’s what God does for us. He comes to our rescue no matter how far we’ve wandered. He nurtures our souls with hope, joy, and love. He draws close in our times of need. Not because He has to, but because He’s our good Father. I’ll never question God’s parenting practices.

Who can you show love to this week? Who could you humbly serve? What trench is God calling you into, to love with His love flowing through you? When you do, your good Father will be right there beside you.  

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