Tag Archives: wash

Root Canal Spirituality

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If you know me, you expect me to draw some lesson or ponderings from my root canal experience last week, some correlation with my faith.  But, of course!  Far be it for me to disappoint.

The whole reason for my root canal was a dead tooth with an abscessed root.  That is just plain nasty.  Infection set in and caused pain so I finally took action.  There was definitely a problem that needed fixing or I would keep hurting and possibly even face more serious problems.

I went to an expert, a man who’s gone to years of schooling and obviously had lots of practice already performing this endodontic feat of fantastic-ness.  He was quick, confident, and kind and I felt I could trust him right away.  He knew what he was talking about and what he was doing.

His assistant was just as sharp, right there with every tool he needed at the right time.  They worked together like clockwork, in tandem, to finish the job for me and get me all fixed up.

There were a few foibles, like one time the assistant accidentally dropped a tool and they had to get a clean one.  Then a particular tool kept malfunctioning and causing him to have to repeat small steps until he got a replacement that worked properly.

I was wishing I could watch the whole procedure from their point of view, Continue reading →

The bed bug’s noble purpose

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I’m not sure if the purpose of bed bugs is the same for everyone but God has taught me something through this process of trying to escort these persistent pests out of our house for good.

They are so stealthy and seem to come from nowhere.  Just when we think we’ve killed the last one, steamed every inch of the walls, corners and mattresses, we’ll see one on the wall or way up high, hiding in a paint crack in the edge where the wall meets the ceiling.

It’s become a morning routine for me to wake up, wipe the sleepies out of my eyes, then stand up and survey the ceiling edges all the way around the room.  Any bug spotted will be crushed with a Kleenex.  Then we steam that part of the wall in case there are any of the practically invisible eggs nearby.

For several days we saw none but now we see one or two a day, either in our room or our daughters’ room where they were the worst.

We’ve super-cleaned, we’ve sprayed “Kilz” over the stained areas so that new activity will be easily seen, we’ve vacuumed like crazy, washed our bedsheets over and over…all in an attempt to rid ourselves of this problem once and for all.  We’re so persistent because if we aren’t they will multiply and the problem will be worse and a big pain all over again.

search-heartOne night as I was steaming and scouring my girls’ room for the little boogers, God spoke to my heart and said I should be as diligent about making sure I’ve gotten rid of all the sin lurking in the edges and cracks of my heart.  I have to let God daily survey my heart, crush any sinful “pest” He finds there, and cleanse me again.  I have to search my heart all the time to make sure some bitter attitude isn’t growing in the corner or some small temptation I’ve let remain isn’t crouching in a shadow waiting for an unsuspecting moment to trip me up.

Thank God that His Holy Spirit can see every part of me, into even the tiniest crevice, and that He can wash away EVERY last smudge of sin and make me truly clean.  Thank God that He’s willing to do that time and time again and not give up on me, because I won’t be rid of the pest of sinfulness completely until I go to be with Him in heaven.  What a joy that will be!

I even thank God for the bed bugs, if only for the lesson He’s teaching me, and the reminder they will be each time I see them, to be ruthless about ridding my heart of sin.

“How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.”     Psalm 19:12