View From the Waiting Room - Part VII

VIEW FROM THE WAITING ROOM – PART VII

This will be the last “View” before surgery on Tuesday. If you’ve been following the blog you will know that I’ve been reflecting on values, truths, etc. that seem to come into sharper focus when you’re waiting for major surgery. Yesterday I had my final pre-surgery interview with the anesthetist. When I stood up to shake his hand as he walked into the room I could read his thoughts from the look in his eyes: “we’re goin’ to need a megadose to put this guy under.” Actually, his parting words were “you’ll be fine.”

As we left he gave us (Shirley was with me) some instructions about what to bring to the hospital on Tuesday morning. To sum up: “only the bare essentials. You’ll probably want a toothbrush…” Interesting how at the critical turning points in life the stuff you really need becomes very minimal. We did go out and buy a new terrycloth robe and some slip-on slippers. But the hospital even provides one of those gowns with rear air conditioning and paper slippers if you don’t have your own.

It reminds me of what Jesus said: “a person’s life does not consist of the abundance of things which he possesses.” We spend so much time and attention and money gathering stuff. We have so much in our great country… so much to be thankful for. Shirley and I have lots of stuff in our house. It’s no sin to enjoy the material blessings God gives us as long as they don’t become idols. Under normal circumstances this would be the time to lay a heavy on about how little people have in the developing world and how we should be giving more to missions and to relieving poverty. (“Every head bowed…every eye closed… bring the offering plates…”).

But at this point I’m simply thinking about how simple life becomes when you are staring your own mortality in the face. I’m so grateful that I will have all I need on Tuesday morning – the love and prayers of my family and a host of friends, good surgeons and medical workers, and a great future to move into on the other side of the anesthetic. And, yes, I’ll be thankful for the gown, the slippers and the toothbrush. But at the end of the day, it’s God and people who make life abundant. I’m blessed.
KEN
(My next blog installment will be a view from the recovery room.)