SCRIP-BITS

Daniel 11: 32(b).    But the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits (take action).
 
Oh Friends, the ole fella just got home about 7 p.m. I thought I was going to be released this morning, but apparently the doctors got called to some emergency surgery, so I didn’t see them until the afternoon, and then it took me an hour and a half to get home because the powers that be chose to close the Gardiner, the main highway, for the Victoria Day long weekend. How smart eh? And it was a beautiful day, so you know that everybody was out and about. Well this morning about 6 o’clock I had a catharsis of sorts. While trying to get up from the hospital bed by myself, I realized that I just wasn’t up to it. Every time I tried to get up, I got halfway then fell back. I eventually called the nurses for help, and though it was promised, none was forthcoming. Ah Friends, lying across the narrow bed, half on, half off, the ole fella suddenly felt tired; tired of all the pain I’ve suffered over the past year. First with my knees, then with the prostate surgery, then not being able to get any help, with my feet dangling over the side, the sobs unexpectedly burst out and had me crying out to the Lord, that I was tired of the pain, and asking when it was going to end. Strangely enough, just then I remembered the Buju Banton song ‘Battered and Bruised’ Hn! That only made it worse. I remembered it a couple times, and every time the sobbing intensified. And as I am typing this now, the tears are filling my eyes. Now there wasn’t much actual tears, or as we would say, not much ‘eyes water,’ but the sobs were wracking and heart wrenching. I guess I was just at a very low emotional and physical point because I haven’t cried in ages. Sometimes I’ve wanted to, but no tears would come. This time though, they came unbidden. What I’m to make of it all, I don’t know for sure, but as I said yesterday, the whole experience has certainly taught me a valuable lesson; a lesson of how much our Saviour, Jesus, really suffered on our behalf, and that our suffering here on planet earth is really inconsequential when compared to His. With that in mind, I found this quote on pain by Harold Kushner, the American born rabbi laureate of Temple Israel in Natick Massachusetts, which says: ‘Pain is part of being alive, and we need to learn that. Pain does not last forever, nor is it necessarily unbearable, and we need to be taught that.’ That’s gospel my people! Pain is a part of the human existence, and the sooner we realize that and learn to deal wisely with it, the better off we will be. It’s not easy, but if we put our hand in the hand of the Lord, He will bring us through it successfully. And He did bring me through it successfully this morning, for after all my sobbing and pleading, He strengthened me, and I eventually got up by myself. But unfortunately, just like most things in life, coping with pain is a learning process, which we must undergo to overcome it. We all try to bypass it, because no one really wants to experience pain unless they have some sadistic tendencies. And I can assure you that I’m not one of them. Anyway Friends, the important thing is that the cancerous part of my body has been successfully removed. Now comes the hard part; the recuperation. (smile) And it doesn’t seem to have spread to any other area, which brings a loud, grateful and heartfelt ‘Thank you Lord!’ I’m home now and hope the recuperation process won’t be too difficult. In conclusion, I want to say a big thank you to all those who floated up a few words on my behalf. It’s obvious that the Good Lord heard them and reacted positively. I don’t know what He has in store for me now, but whatever it is, I sure hope it’s not of the painful variety, for I am truly tired of physical pain. I need a rest from it. (smile) So till we talk again tomorrow, God in favour, please keep the faith and turn to the Lord first in all things, with whatever problems that come your way, because He’s the best problem fixer there is. And per our Bit, let’s hope that all of us will be strong and do exploits for out God. Much LOVE!…those who put their trust in Jesus…will NEVER be disappointed… P.S. The Bits might be a bit late until I catch myself and get back on track.