Seeing the Light

It is winter time, here in Indiana, or so I have been told.  "The coldest winter in fifteen years!"  I think for many people, the coldness is the hardest thing to deal with in winter.  It certainly has been cold, but you can always put on another layer of clothes to deal with the frigid temperatures.

The hardest thing for me to deal with, this time of year, is the darkness.  So often, I leave for work in the dark and come home in the dark.  Even when I go out in the middle of the day, I can only see slate gray skies above me.

Yet, even in the midst of the darkest season of the year, there are still moments of light.  There are times -- usually at sunset or, sunrise -- when the sun manages to peak his face beneath the furrowed brows of the clouds to play peak-a-boo with Hoosiers (and probably Buckeyes too).

As someone who enjoys photography, I watch for these moments, for they make all the difference.  Without that light, the scenes are drab and gray -- almost colorless.

In this world, there is much darkness and I have no idea how much darker it can get.  It is easy to feel pessimistic, doubting that in a world full of such evil, that anything good can triumph.  But I know without a doubt that the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

I will choose to pursue the Light, even in a world full of darkness.  For, as long as I can see Jesus and experience His light, the darkness will never overwhelm me.

Baby Moses

I love the story of the birth of Moses.  In some ways, it follows a theme in the Old Testament of special leaders, with special beginnings.  Children like Isaac, Jacob, and Samson were foretold and special from the beginning.

Moses was born into a family which already had two children at a time when the ruler in Egypt had commanded the death of all newborn Hebrew boys.  Despite the danger, Moses' mother, Jochabed,  decided to hide him away.

There is no record that Moses' mother received some special message from God about her child.  The Bible just says (depending on the translation) that she perceived him to be fine, proper, or beautiful.  But what mother doesn't think that her child is attractive or, at least a little cute?  So, why did Jochabed risk her life by hiding Moses?

The answer is found in Hebrews 11.  It says there that Jochabed saw potential in Moses (who can say what she saw in a three month old) and she was not afraid of the king's edict.

This second statement is key.  There are so many times that I see something good and right to do -- that I have a vision for something worthwhile -- and then don't do it because of fear.

It is all well and good to have vision -- vision for myself, for my children, and for God's kingdom.  But that is not enough.  Unless I can cast out fear, it will all come to naught.

Potty Time

Elliot has been spending an awful lot of time, lately, sitting on the potty.  A lot of time.  During that time, he has been read a lot of stories, played some with an I pad, and struggled with boredom.

If you were to ask him, Elliot would tell you that all this is wasted time from his standpoint.  We are focused on giving him a skill he doesn't really care if he ever learns.

I suppose life is about learning unnecessary skills.  From potty training, to reading, to algebra, children are expected to learn things that they don't really care about -- at least at the time that they learn them.

Perhaps some of it is that children don't see the importance of the thing they are working on.  Probably more so, the problem is that they aren't really interested in learning at all.

It strikes me that I often have similar feelings when God is teaching me.  Whether it is patience, or endurance, or love, the lessons don't come easily and part way through, I want to cry out:  "I know this well enough.  Let's move on to something else."

Yet, it says about Jesus "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered." (Hebrews 5:8)  How much more will His servant suffer to learn to be like Him.

Seasons

I like seasons.  I know that at this time of year,  there are plenty of people wishing that there were giant hair driers positioned over the Midwest, blowing snow clouds north.  Every day, patients of mine inform me "I was ready for spring six weeks ago!"

It just seems right that there should be times of warm and times of cold.  Without cold, there could be no snow, and without snow, there would be no sledding or skiing.

Probably the thing that I like best about winter is how it changes the way everything looks.  There is a different kind of beauty in every season, but I think that I like winter about the best.  Seeing the white blanket of snow over everything turns a gray season into a sparkly wonderland.  As ice forms on local lakes, I take my camera and stalk the loveliness that I see.

For, Ecclesiastes is right.  In chapter 3, it says "He has made everything beautiful in its time."  And while some crave the beauty of spring or, the loveliness of autumn, I will enjoy the beauty of whatever season I am in -- even if I have to wear gloves to do so.

Cliches

Cliches are awfully common.  I guess that is why they are cliches.  I hear many of them in my line of work.

"How are you doing?" I will ask a miserable individual, sneezing into an overused handkerchief.

"Oh, Doc," will come the reply.  "I'm just not feeling up to par."

Now, I understand that it is just an expression, but whoever coined it was either an awesome golfer or, they didn't understand the game of golf very well.  You see, in golf, a lower score is better and most golfers struggle to get down to par.  If you are significantly under-par, you are in a very good place indeed.

Another expression that gets trotted out frequently is that a situation is "coming to a head."  Maybe I'm the only one, but whenever someone uses this expression, I immediately get a mental picture of a large abscess ready to blow.  Not a pretty image and certainly not one that I want to bring out, except for very special occasions.

The problem with cliches, is that they have been repeated so often that they have lost most of their meaning.  People repeat them without ever thinking of what they signify.

It seems to me that it is awfully easy for my prayers to God to follow this same pattern.  If I say the same things to God every morning, or before each meal, it is easy for me to mouth the words without really thinking Who I am talking to and what I am saying to Him.

I want my prayers to be more than that -- I want them to come from my heart and have real meaning.  While I wouldn't want to beat a dead horse, I do think it is time to let cliches -- and thoughtless prayers -- bite the dust for good.

Jellies

Elaine made a lot of jelly last summer.  There were batches of peach jam, strawberry jam, black raspberry jelly, and peach-blueberry jam.  Oh, and I forgot grape jelly.

I guess I eat a fair amount of jelly.  I usually have two slices of toast for breakfast and somehow, a generous portion of the jam du jour seems to find its way onto my crunchy bread.

If you asked me what my favorite jam was, I would probably say "peach."  But I am awfully glad that Elaine made more varieties than just peach.  Even the best tasting foods can old, if there is nothing available for a change.

It is variety that makes life interesting.  My daughter believes that she could eat Macaroni and Cheese and Hot Dogs every day and never get tired of them, but I know that is not true.

It is far better to accept the variety that God has woven into our lives than to resist it.  I may like peach jam a lot, but it is awfully nice to have a little grape jelly now and then too.

Immunity

I have a cold, right now.  To be technical, I have an upper respiratory infection, probably caused by some type of virus.  It could be a Corona Virus or a Rhino Virus, but the end result is the same.  It's a cold.

When I am sick, I often hear comments like:  "So doctors get sick too?"  and "Physician heal thyself."  And that's fine, if not particularly original.

In fact, I am glad that I am not sick more often.  I take care of sick folks all day long -- many of them children who lack any sense of decorum when they sneeze and cough.  Despite this, I am only sick a couple of time a year.

I attribute this to good hand washing and an amazing immune system.  Now, it isn't amazing because it is mine.  It is amazing because a wonderful Creator designed it and placed it within me.

I am fearfully and wonderfully made, even when I am sick.  I know that the only thing that will heal me from my cold was given to me by the One who cares for me and watches over me.  For, there is nothing like a healthy immune system to deal with viruses in your life.

Resolutions

2014 is here and with the new year, comes a time that many people make resolutions.  It is time to take off thirty (or forty, or fifty) pounds.  Time to start exercising (again).  Time to start cooking more wholesome meals.  Basically time to fix the things that weren't right about 2013.

I was talking to one of my patients about weight loss and she told me "You know last year, I watched my diet until June and I lost thirty-five pounds, but then the second half of the year I gained back all but five of it!"

"That must be pretty discouraging," I said.

"Yes," she told me.  "But you know what?  It lets me know that I can really do it!  And this year is the year that I eat right and the weight will come off and stay off!"

I am not a big fan of New Year's Resolutions.  I find that they are abandoned awfully quickly and anyway, why wait for a New Year to start doing what you know you should do now?

That said, I love my patient's attitude.  For, the most important thing to learn from the failures of the past is that we are strong enough to rise again.  Even a partial success can be used to build a better tomorrow.

And with that in mind, I pray that this year would be a better year.  Not from a weight loss standpoint, but from a "drawing closer to God" standpoint.  For, He is the One from whom I draw my strength to fulfill anything else I resolve to do.