Friday, February 12, 2010

Character Surgery


A friend asked about Abigail's appointment. When I told her the diagnosis, she commented,
At least she doesn't need surgery.
I texted in reply.
Perhaps surgery would be easier than character development. Have you met my daughter?
She laughed out loud.

I would never want Abigail to have surgery. I don't want her to be put to sleep. I don't want anyone to take a scalpel to her little body. But, we have struggled with these movements since she was nine months old. She doesn't like to poop. Even with powerful laxatives and stool softeners, it is still a matter of the girl going when the urge hits. Not Oh-I-feel-the-need-to-go-but-I-have-time-to-finish-this-game-and-this-book-looks-like-fun-and-I'de-rather-nap (yes, she would rather sleep than poop that is how much she doesn't want to go.)putting it off till she can't go and it hurts so the next time she has even more incentive to not go. It is about her character and instant removal is always an easier solution to character than the training that makes a character develop, a child mature.

Even more so it is a challenge for my character. I am not always patient when it comes to this situation. I've been known to say, You have to sit there till you go, then walking out of the bathroom while she cries. I'm not proud of it, but I am honestly impatient. Isn't there a surgery to remove impatience?

I recognize the craziness of that statement as impatience implies not having something. I should have said isn't there a patience pill I can swallow to put patience into my heart? But the reality is that we both must learn.

She must learn that her body was made to work in certain ways and that refusing to adhere to those ways causes discomfort and sickness much like refusing to obey her creator will cause discomfort and many other spiritual maladies.
I must learn patience. There isn't a miracle pill or any other way than to submit to the patient leading of the Lord learning always from Him. These are day-to-day lessons. Step by step we will grow. That is the way to being a person of character--training yourself to please Him.
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1 comment:

  1. God bless you, prayers can change faith!@bose
    Letters

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