God the artist and architecht

The human body is a reflection of God's artistry and design. 

God's artistry and design are fully displayed in the human body.  The intricacy of it, the way each part works in concert with another, is nothing less than stunning.  Our bodies are a curious paradox, being both strong and fragile at the same time.  We move, we think, we heal with seemingly little effort on our part at all.  The design is so exquisite that our hearts beat and our lungs breathe without us having to give any thought to the matter.  It's just natural.  It's just God who is the master designer and architect of all creation!

Psalm 121: 1-2  I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

My answer to just about any illness, injury, or emotional hurt has always been to "just sleep on it".  I don't know exactly what happens during those long hours in the middle of the night.  The body may be at rest, but the mind must be very busy coordinating recuperation and repair.  I think it's the body's way of telling us..."just sit still for a minute and let me do my job"!  Christopher's body worked overtime that first night to begin to repair the holes that had assaulted his body for 17 long years.  It was as if God was the conductor and Christopher's body was the orchestra.  They were working in concert together. God was directing the body to create a healing music that would dance across his abdomen in order to mend what needed mending. 

Irish Proverb- A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.

When our eyes found light the next morning, the question still loomed large.  Would the holes close on their own or not?  Would Christopher need surgery?  It probably comes as no surprise that the very first thought on both our minds was, how much healing progress had been made overnight?  Christopher had taken a picture of his holes before he went to bed to use as a comparison.  A visual inspection seemed to show progress, and the pictorial record confirmed it.  The holes were closing.  They were healing from the inside out.  The skin seemed to pucker as it fused together the 17 year old breach in his abdomen.

The true test would be breakfast.  He hadn't eaten since his Chinese food lunch the day before.  A lot of healing progress had been made, but would it be enough to hold back the impending flood caused by eggs and toast? 

His favorite breakfast!

Christopher began his regular morning routine (brush teeth, shower, get dressed) while I scrambled the eggs and toasted the cinnamon bread.  Just as I buttered the last piece of toast, I heard Christopher lumber down the stairs.  He was starving, and he had learned something new about himself, about his "eating" self.  If you miss a meal, then you get really hungry!  He began to shovel in the eggs with cheese, while he explained to me some of the new things that he had learned.

Over coffee I listened as he told me that skipping meals makes you feel terrible!  He was not only starving, but he actually felt faint.  I encouraged more eggs and toast to remedy the situation.  He also explained to me that going without real food is much different than missing a tube feeding.  With a missed meal of real food, you feel weak and faint.  A missed tube feeding just makes you feel really thirsty. 

The forecast: breezy around Christopher's holes.

I asked him how the holes were feeling?  Did they hurt?  A little grin came over his face as he shared with me some of the unexpected things he was feeling.  Christopher said the holes weren't painful, but he did feel a little bit of a stinging sensation as he walked around the house without any gauze to protect the holes.  He could feel the cool air rushing in through the holes.  It was a very strange feeling, and it did cause a bit of a stinging sensation.  He also said that not having his feeding tubes in was going to take some getting used to.  He had never been without them, and his stomach felt vulnerable without his tried and true, plastic companions.  He immediately assured me, however, that he was glad that the tubes were out, and that he knew he would get used to his new body in no time at all.

The eggs and toast disappeared before I finished my first cup of coffee, and to our surprise...NO LEAKS!  Apparently, the holes had healed enough on the inside to block the food and liquid from escaping through the holes.  We waited awhile just to be sure, but...NO LEAKS!  What did Christopher think of that?  He thought that meant he would be safe to eat lunch at school.  My whole face smiled as the reality of God's miracle sunk in.  My teenage son NEEDED his lunch. 

Spring is the best!

His  favorite Subway sandwich, the Big Philly, seemed like the perfect way to celebrate.  As I drove home after delivering Christopher's lunch to him, I came around a corner and was visually struck by the sight of the sun shining through the clouds and the intense pop of color across the spring landscape.  It seemed as if nature was springing to life just to celebrate the new life that God had blessed Christopher with.  Nature was praising God, and so was I!


If you have never accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you can pray like this:

More tomorrow...