Compliments. Dental Procedures.

Here's what I love: compliments and dreams come true.

Here's what I hate: dental procedures and bad news.

On Monday at 8AM I was in the chair at my dentist’s office.  I had been having some pain in my tooth and was suspicious of a cavity.  They did x-rays and found what could be the problem: there was a little cavity way, way down underneath an old filling.  That’s not the best news.

So, I proceeded to have to hold my mouth open wide for the next 45 minutes while the dentist and his assistant stuck me with needles to numb me and then drilled down, down, down to do the filling.

At one point during the procedure, the dental assistant asked me how old my kids were. 

“Nine and shix” I managed to get the answer out of my numb, cotton filled mouth.

She looked shocked.  “You have a nine year old!? Wow, you must have been young when you had that baby! You look too young to have a daughter that age.”

Then the Dentist himself chimed in.  “Yeah, you look like you are still in college.”

Well, THAT is pushing it.  But, of course I felt all puffed up by their compliments.  That was smart on their part.  Instead of sitting there feeling annoyed at the length of time they had to be drilling, I was feeling all pretty and young. 

“Shanks” I say with the lovely dental tools hanging out of my mouth. 

Then the drilling began again.

The rest of my day was spent trying to function with one whole side of my face completely numb.  I got a smoothie for lunch and the first sip came right back out of my mouth on the numb side.  Same thing with the bread I attempted to eat at lunch time—it popped right out of my mouth.  Luckily, I was at home alone, so no one saw me.

 

The numbness was so annoying, but is pain better?

Ultimately, having the cavity filled will be good, even though it was annoying and painful to have it done. 

Life is full of both the good and the bad.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve been playing phone tag with my childhood BFF.  I was trying to tell her some news I had received.  Back and forth we went missing each other’s calls.

Finally, to prevent her from thinking I was pregnant 

or moving 

or dying, 

I told her on a voicemail of all things:  “Well, I’ll go ahead and tell you,” I began chatting after the beep. “My children’s book is going to be published! Sooo, that’s my news.  I just wanted you to know so that you could quit wondering. Thank you for your input on the manuscript.  Hope to catch up with you soon.  Love ya! Bye…”

I did not like sharing that fun news on voicemail.

Later that night, I saw a text from her congratulating me and saying that she had guessed/hoped that was my news.  Then, she texted that she had news too!

Recommence game of phone tag.

Today, I finally got to speak to her and hear her voice!  What was her news?  Her eldest son has been diagnosed with high-functioning autism.  My heart sank.  My mind raced.  She sounded upbeat.  I knew that “high-functioning” had to be a good thing.  She said that she was thankful to have a diagnosis because of the challenges that they had been facing with him.  She asked me to pray that she (a free spirit through and through) would become a bit more organized and structured since that helped her son cope with things.  Yes, I will pray.

My news: a dream of mine is coming true.

Her news: all dreams for her son have to change.

But, that’s how life is, right?  The good and the bad.  The ups and the downs.  The compliments and the dental drills.  Some dreams come true and some don’t.

That’s life after the fall.  There’s a time for each of these things.  

Some days we jump and skip and clap our hands with sheer joy in that day’s lot.  We close our eyes and sigh with disbelief at the blessings surrounding us in that moment. 

Other days we hurt with physical pain or we ache with emotional struggles too immense to for us to handle.  We sigh with disbelief at the grief closing in on us in that moment.

What do we do with this horrible, crazy, wonderful mixture called life swirling all around us and inside of us? 

Lean on the One who never changes.  Steady as a rock and even more reliable. Joy in Him never fades. His comfort is everlasting love, which covers us in the midst of all kinds of pain and heartache.

There are two songs which speak to this mystery of God's presence in the midst of hardship and heartache.  I encourage you to look carefully at the lyrics.

Held—Natalie Grant

Your Hands—JJ Heller

When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

Your hands
Your hands that shape the world 
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still

God promises He will never leave us or forsake us.

Do you feel held in the midst of whatever you are going through?