Laughing in Sunday School yesterday about my upcoming procedure, I assured them I do not plan to waltz into the OR this week, dancing under a glittering ball, with "Staying Alive" playing in the background. I anticipate hearing a heart monitor, smelling latex, and wishing I had my make-up on and my hair NOT in one of those funny paper hats. It is a disc-o-gram, not a "disco"gram, I explained. But fun thought, though!
Wednesday's procedure will provide the spinal surgeon the final images needed to determine "IF" and "WHAT TYPE" of back surgery is needed. I don't know what I was thinking, but the "ever-prepared" and "ever-researched" April watched a disc-o-gram procedure on YouTube over the weekend. (WARNING! Please do not try that at home!) The only GLITTERING silver things I saw were the needles placed in someone's spine. Bless you for sharing! Although the surgeon had already explained all this to me, trusty YouTube confirmed:
- I will be heavily sedated.
- Large needles will be injected into my back.
- Additional needles will be placed through the above mentioned needles to reach the finite spots of the spinal discs.
- The surgeon will wake me up, apply pressure to the discs to determine various pain levels, and wait for my response.
- I plan to answer somewhere between "None" or "Zero" and "Take Me Now, Sweet Jesus!"
- Then, I will be re-sedated and the needles will be removed.
Researching all that on-line Saturday morning only brought on more questions, insecurity, fear, and anxiety. Needing a little more Truth, I turned to God's Word.
Have you seen Paul's list of sufferings? Almost as if Paul was blogging to his friends in the world-wide Corinth of his day, he painted a detailed visual. Paul suffered:
- numerous near death beatings
- 39 lashes (more worse in his culture than 40, remember I research!) 5 different times!!
- 3 rod beatings
- being stoned
- 3 shipwrecks
- adrift for a day and a night at sea
- floods, robbers, dangerous people, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, cold, exposure.
Friends, I don't think my list compares!
Because in the end, Paul states that despite all that, he felt the pressure and anxiety DAILY for all the churches that he was trying to minister to. Seriously?! That was what was on Paul's mind?! Continuing the call of Christ?! Enduring all this by CHOICE?!?! DAILY?!?! AS IN 24/7?
My physical pain has just been 7 months and I have found myself rocking from terribly down to just plain whining. I whined about canceling our summer vacation "adrift" on the shores of North Carolina, how I no longer am able to walk through the "dangerous people" grocery shopping in Wal-Mart at the first of the month, and how I am grumpy after a "sleepless night" on the floor of my living room when the pain wakes me from my warm bed...and other various things DAILY!
Many times, we do not choose what we face, suffer, or try to endure (even if you are an "Accident Nut" like me). But, we can know and call upon a God who will triumph over ANY human weaknesses. Struggling with hurts in the home, the heart, and in the huddle of life, rest assured HE CARES and has a plan!
Paul's motivation was but a GREAT BELIEF and gratitude for how Christ, had changed his life's purpose from one who sought to KILL Christian believers to one who sought to SAVE them with the knowledge of Jesus, the Resurrected. Jesus, too, suffered. The same POWER that raised Christ from the dead enabled Paul to endure his list and allows me to face mine, Wednesday. I don't doubt that. Do you?
The reason that Christ endured His suffering was for us. So that we would not have to. So that we could rest in His POWER to overcome all we face.
Let me ask you something. Are you facing a struggle, hardship, or weakness in your life?
Does Christ's POWER reside in you? It can if you call to Him and BELIEVE!
With my second cup of coffee Saturday morning, I got some clarity and saw the GLITTERING LIGHT of God's Word and it convicted me. Paul quoted King David in Psalm 116:10 when he translated it from Hebrew to Greek and said, "I believe, and so I spoke."Am I nervous about Wednesday, do I ask myself all the "what if" questions, do I struggle with uncertainty, do I want it all to just go away? Yes! However, I believe in God's power to save us, sustain us, and saturate us during times like these. Christ will see me through this affliction and MORE! So, let me translate from Paul to April-ish, "I believe in the power of the resurrected Christ Jesus, so I blog."
I share my ups and downs (and even my whinings) with you hoping you will see through God's Word, not mine, that it is ONLY with Christ's power we are able to have hope and endure things we face. Anything else is DULL in comparison.
Everyone has been wonderful to ask what they can do to help my family. If you want to do something to help, here are 3 suggestions and let's watch God work:
1. Please PRAY for me on Wednesday as I face the discogram.
2. Please PRAY we will be able to quickly have our follow-up consultation with the doctor (currently not scheduled until Aug. 16th). I would like to see that date be earlier in Jesus' Name!
3. BELIEVE & SPEAK. Share a comment of how God's power ALIVE in you is allowing you to face suffering, endure hardship, or face uncertainty. I am sure it will be an encouragement to me come WednesDAY and even to others "DAILY!"
"Staying Alive" in Christ,
April
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