When I think I’ve turned a page to a new chapter in my life, I realize there’s nothing new in life. I’m referring to pain. I can’t remember when I didn’t have some pain.
One night last week, my right wrist was in a lot of pain. I got out of bed, took some Tylenol and tried to go back to sleep. In the morning, the pain was worse.
I informed The Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, about the pain in my hand. She took great interest and wanted to do whatever to help me get rid of it.
Nothing helped, and by late afternoon, the pain actually felt worse at times. It was then she decided I needed to go to the urgent care for some help.
So, she drove me to the urgent care for treatment around 7:30 p.m.
I always take Martha to any doctor visits, because she takes the doctor’s words very literally. I, on the other hand, paraphrase what the doctor says, which, when I get home, doesn’t make any sense at all.
Finally, I saw the doctor. Eventually, the doctor pulled out a needle and prepped my arm for a shot.
I noticed she was grinning, which made me realize the shot was going to hurt like crazy. And boy, did it hurt, and I almost shouted from that pain, which made her smile more.
The doctor diagnosed my situation and prescribed some medication, and then gave me an arm bracelet to help ease the pain.
We finally left urgent care about 10:30 and headed for home. Before I went to bed, I took off the bracelet, and Martha put on some medication the doctor recommended to deal with the pain.
In the morning, Martha had to examine my arm to see how it was. She then gave me more Tylenol and helped put on my arm bracelet.
It was a busy day for her and had little time to sit down and rest. But, she took time to stop and examine my arm. She’d always ask, “How is your arm doing now?”
My constant reply was, “It’s doing fine.” Of course, she never believed me.
Then a crazy thought entered my mind, which is well accustomed to crazy thoughts.
I switched the arm bracelet from my right arm to my left arm. I know, it’s a very crazy thing to do, but then that is my MO.
She came in and said, “Let me see your arm.”
I lifted up my left arm so she could look at it, and she examined it very carefully and then said, “It’s starting to look better. I hope the pain is also going away.”
Then she went back to the kitchen to her work. I chuckled quite a bit as I put the bracelet back on my right arm where it belongs. If I’m going to have pain, I’m going to use it for some pleasure on my part.
As I was reading my Bible, I came across an interesting verse appropriate for the situatio n.
“For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
— Romans 8: 18
My physical pain is nothing compared to God’s grace in me each day.
Dr. Snyder is a former pastor who lives with the Gracious Mistress of the Parsonage, wife Martha, in Ocala, Fla. His email is [email protected].
