Pearls are big here... they sell them pretty much everywhere... but I was reading a thought or two the other night about pearls... They grow in slimy nasty oysters... the only reason they form and are so beautiful is the irritation of the sand inside the oyster.
Last night as we headed to bed completely, utterly exhausted for the umpteenth time this month... I woke up around midnight hot (we had forgotten to turn on the fan)... I was thinking about how irritated I've become... so tired of all the little 'frustrations' that stand between us and our 'goal'... how often do we miss that these little irritations in life are really God making us into pearls... so when we do reach the ultimate goal... we are refined and beautiful... Hmmm.. the trick is to learn how to embrace the irritations and not be ahem... irritated by them! Of course... easier said then done.... Yesterday leaving for church was a classic example... we were running late (no big deal... everything starts late in the Philippines!)... but then kids were supposed to wait by the gate so we could help them across the 'bridge' to the car... by the time we got together the water bottles (a must for the HOT church we go to)... and the snacks, etc.... we got out there to find a couple kids with no shoes on, a kid who had forgotten his stuff, another who had stepped in poo, another riding a bike around... etc...etc... it just goes on and on... the whole way to church I had to just pray to NOT be irritated!! It worked... because had we been focused on our 'goal' or getting to church, finishing, eating, etc... we would have missed God's word for us, his purpose for us that day... at church there were a couple kids who had boils on their faces... we were able to stay and chat with the moms/caregivers about what to do and how to care for them... one mom chose for us to lance the boil, drain it, and then apply a dressing... so off to the pharmacy with an extra 8 people in our rig (besides our own 9)... then to our house to clean her up a bit (one had burst at one point and the pus had caused her hair to stick mercilissly to her other two boils)... Joe gently cleansed her face (she was SO brave), then with him already in position, he lanced them and had the tough task of squeezing the nasty, green, thick pussy infection out... (this one didn't smell tooo bad)... we then applied a 'wet' dressing and gave them a pack of guaze and vaseline to continue to keep the wound open so it would drain. The caregiver for the girl was just crying with thankfullness as she had been trying her best to care for them but was just at a loss. Pray for her as she heals and that this will be it for the boils... they are sooo painful!
Anyway... today my goal is to embrace my 'irritations', whether it be kids, husband, myself, patients, supervisors, etc... and just let God use it to refine me into what he wants....
Now that I've said that... we're having oatmeal for breakfast... ugh... my faavvorritee... not... :P
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