Today is surgery day. It always seems like it was so far in the future, so far away, but time has passed quickly by at its own pace, and today ist he day for hubby's surgery. My thoughts have been all over the place last night... full of 'what if' and uncertainty. Why is that? Because yesterday, it seemed more than a little more than usual, the reality he is 84 years old and he seemed more confused at times. Perhaps it is because he is so afraid of the surgery. We did go to church yesterday and saw some friends there. Hubby asked one friend to pray for him so she annointed him and prayed over him. When she asked him specifically what surgery he was to have... well, it could have changed as I haven't been in contact with the doctor... but when I was in the doctor's office last October, it was the aneurysm in the left abdomen and the one behind the left knee today..... and the next surgery will be the aneurysm in the right side of the aneurysm. He told our friend that it was just the one behind his knee. I didn't correct him because it could have changed. I asked him about it later and he admitted he may have gotten confused, but thought the doctor had just said the knee. I guess I will find out when the doctor comes in to check on him before surgery. I hope I have the opportunity to ask! I did take today off work and anticipate being in the hospital all day. If I recall correctly, the surgery can take 4-6 hours. Just the sound of that is scary. I'm taking my crochet and a book to read. We are to be there around 9AM and surgery isn't until 11AM. It will be late afternoon before we know anything. All prayers are appreciated.
As I mentioned above, we did go to church yesterday to the place we wanted to check out. Bluntly, it was wild and crazy. Of course we are 'old' so it would seem so to us. We are used to order. The band was loud, but we knew most of the songs. The pastor's wife spoke and if her words were running a race - they won. She talks reallllly fast. But it was a good message and I at least brought some of it home with me. Things like....Don't put labels of the past on people. Just because they lied yesterday, don't call them a liar today. Instead encourage them to speak truth. Just because they were lazy yesterday don't call them lazy today; speak into them to encourage them to do something productive. They may have been an alcoholic yesterday, but today is a new day and give them the encouragement to be one who chooses carefully what he drinks. He may be accident prone, or a drama queen, or .... we shouldn't call them what they were before.... but call them who they can be.
Words like....My child is one who keeps their room clean. My daughter is a great cook. My wife makes our house a home. My husband is always attentive to me. My parents are fun to be around. My mom makes me feel loved. My dad is always there for me. My friend is ..... There are so many positives that we can label people with rather than what they WERE. I certainly do not want Jesus to call me by what I was. Today He calls me His beloved, His child. I would rather be that, than what I was before.
When we meet Jesus, our name changes. We are loved, rather than unloved. We are beautiful, rather than ugly. Jesus changes everything. When you encounter Jesus.... life changes. Our perspective, our behavior, our attitudes. Jesus changes everything.
Think about it. Wanna change? Try Jesus.
