My friend who recently had intense spine surgery (where they cut her back open from top to bottom and re-straightened her spine with rods) just had her 6-week post-op follow-up appointment, in which she was told by the surgeon that the upper fixtures to hold the spine upright did not remain attached. The bones had broken loose.
The rods will need to be removed, and new rods inserted.
She will need to have the surgery re-done all over again.
What a crushing blow!
The surgeon explained that this happens about 1/3rd of the time, so it is not surprising. It is not a result of anything that went wrong with the surgery. It is nothing that she did wrong in post-op recovery. It is just something that happens.
My little tulip had been blooming beautifully for weeks … then we had a big downpour of rain. I looked out my window the next morning and the poor little tulip was completely drooping over to the ground.
As I looked at the poor little drooping tulip with “teardrops” of rain it reminded me of my friend.
Doesn’t this happen to all of us.
We are going through life blooming the best we can … and then life dumps on us! And we find ourselves pulled down and drooping toward the ground.
The verse came to mind:
“We have the treasure of Christ in jars of clay [aka: our frail bodies] to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
All day long the poor little tulip drooped down toward the ground, and as I saw it, I prayed for my dear friend and the heartbreaking, crushing news she had received.
The sun peeked out in the late afternoon. I didn’t think much of it.
Evening came, hubby came home from work, and we sat down at the table to have dinner. Suddenly the little tulip caught my eye … it was blooming sideways!
Even though the poor little tulip had been “dumped on” by life it was still blooming! It was still reaching toward the sun!
It was still raising its little “hallelujah” petals to the sun!
No matter what life is dumping on you right now, keep blooming! Keep reaching toward the Son – Jesus! Keep raising your own “hallelujah” to him!
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.” – 2 Corinthians 4:7-9
“This is what the LORD says – he who created you, he who formed you: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you [get dumped on by life] I will be with you; and when you [go through really hard times] they will not do you in. … Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” – Isaiah 43:1-2, 5
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!” – Hebrews 12:2
