Hello one and all,
I have spent much of my life intrigued by minor illness and injury, when I was a boy I was very much in awe of children with verucca socks to the extent that I can't be sure if I was being a little extreme to paddle in the warm smelly drainage areas of the male changing rooms, particularly the common drain where men rung out Speedos and where body hair gathered, all in the hope that I may acquire a rubber sock to put over my ankle.
There was also a boy in our class who suffered from asthma and had an inhaler that I took a particular shine to, and when I asked what I needed to get one, he simply replied 'asthma'. I told my parents I thought I might have asthma, but they were unmoved as I represented the primary school in the district cross country championships!
Whilst at primary school a young boy who I was friends with had trouble passing water, and I don't mean going over hump back bridges, and the trouble caused him so much pain it resulted in the poor child being circumcised, he took great pride in sharing his newly designed genitalia to his friends and whilst intrigued I chose not to ask what needed to occur to acquire one of those!
Some years later at High school a boy who shall remain nameless for obvious reasons caught his manhood in his zip and turned his underpants red, his reward was a couple of stitches and a local anasthaetic in his nether regions which I can only imagine must have been a rather traumatic and a painful experience.
My first foray into the A & E department came at the modest age of of 15, I got into a scrape with a 'close' friend who chased me around the avenue with a pool cue and a angry expression.
I was unclear what I was guilty of to warrant such a chase, but in defending myself had my one and only very brief punch up of my 43 years on this planet. I caught him sweetly with a flapping left swing of the arm which resulted in him falling to the ground in what I would describe as a lucky punch! My hand swelled to some proportion and it was only on the insistence of my Grandma that I allowed her take me to Burnley General in her sporty Fiat 127.
I was delighted when the Doctor told me I had fractured my hand and my minor injury would require plaster, how exciting!
My next significant minor injury came as my career as footy ref starting going places, I was officiating at a under 13s' footy match when I just couln't carry on, the pain was just too much. After many months trying to take responsibility for my personal treatment of an in growing toenail I gave up I could know longer bear the constant battle with a nail that grew the wrong way, I could know longer battle with my toe and the medical tool kit of my mothers needlework scissors and a plaster!
As I have got older and become a parent, I continued to be intrigued and aware of minor ailments and have spent more than enough time tending to minor grazes, trips, and tearful expressions of hurt.
However as I have got older I have not only become more aware of the little slips and trips but increasingly more and more aware of more serious illness. One of the sad things about getting older is that quite a number of people I knew as a young person have sadly passed away. Sometimes suddenly and sometimes after a period of suffering, both mentally and physically. As a boy contemplating a minor ailment was nothing more than a few moments of nothingness really but when it gets serious, when someones life is at risk it takes things to another level. I suppose through maturity, experience, and study my considerations of illness and suffering have changed since childhood.
I certainly see death in significantly different way than I did, say ten years ago. I took 'life' for granted, and thought all my loved ones would go on forever. I'm still endeared to the romantic notion that this is possible, but reality tells me its is not possible. And so I think about dying in a different context. I am sure not all would agree, but I have great faith that when we die, we don't actually die! I accept our physical bodies die, but I firmly believe we go on to heaven. I don't what happens there, but I look forward to finding out although by Gods grace not for some time yet.
I am often intrigued why people leave flowers annually at landmarks where tragic accidents have happened. I wonder if the bereaved believe the deceased will be proud that ones death has been recognized with flowers in memorial. It also raises questions about funeral or cremation, I wonder if burials occur just in case, it could all be reversed by the act of a miracle. I have many questions and thoughts like this, but I suppose the point of this blog is one of healing.
All those minor illnesses have healed long ago, the aches and pains, cuts and sprains have dispersed. With the more serious problems which have resulted in friends and family dying the trauma and upset is monumental but the reality is we go on. Somehow we heal, we don't always recover completely and many may argue against me, but we do heal, ever so slowly.
As a Christian I get strength from my faith particularly in times of difficulty, I really think that when we are in a bit of a mess, something very real is slowly but surely putting us back together again if that is what we so choose but it poses the question, Well what if your not mentally tough enough do deal with all that ? And I would simply reply, 'He' provides, if you want his help.
The Bible tells us in the book of Mathew, that he will provide and therefore I leave you with that verse, reminding you and offering you the help of the Lord Jesus Christ if your at some point in your life the burden becomes to heavy.
In Christ with you all.
Alex
I have spent much of my life intrigued by minor illness and injury, when I was a boy I was very much in awe of children with verucca socks to the extent that I can't be sure if I was being a little extreme to paddle in the warm smelly drainage areas of the male changing rooms, particularly the common drain where men rung out Speedos and where body hair gathered, all in the hope that I may acquire a rubber sock to put over my ankle.
A Verucca sock
There was also a boy in our class who suffered from asthma and had an inhaler that I took a particular shine to, and when I asked what I needed to get one, he simply replied 'asthma'. I told my parents I thought I might have asthma, but they were unmoved as I represented the primary school in the district cross country championships!
All I ever wanted
Whilst at primary school a young boy who I was friends with had trouble passing water, and I don't mean going over hump back bridges, and the trouble caused him so much pain it resulted in the poor child being circumcised, he took great pride in sharing his newly designed genitalia to his friends and whilst intrigued I chose not to ask what needed to occur to acquire one of those!
Some years later at High school a boy who shall remain nameless for obvious reasons caught his manhood in his zip and turned his underpants red, his reward was a couple of stitches and a local anasthaetic in his nether regions which I can only imagine must have been a rather traumatic and a painful experience.
My first foray into the A & E department came at the modest age of of 15, I got into a scrape with a 'close' friend who chased me around the avenue with a pool cue and a angry expression.
I was unclear what I was guilty of to warrant such a chase, but in defending myself had my one and only very brief punch up of my 43 years on this planet. I caught him sweetly with a flapping left swing of the arm which resulted in him falling to the ground in what I would describe as a lucky punch! My hand swelled to some proportion and it was only on the insistence of my Grandma that I allowed her take me to Burnley General in her sporty Fiat 127.
A Sporty Fiat 127
I was delighted when the Doctor told me I had fractured my hand and my minor injury would require plaster, how exciting!
My next significant minor injury came as my career as footy ref starting going places, I was officiating at a under 13s' footy match when I just couln't carry on, the pain was just too much. After many months trying to take responsibility for my personal treatment of an in growing toenail I gave up I could know longer bear the constant battle with a nail that grew the wrong way, I could know longer battle with my toe and the medical tool kit of my mothers needlework scissors and a plaster!
As Painful as they look !
As I have got older and become a parent, I continued to be intrigued and aware of minor ailments and have spent more than enough time tending to minor grazes, trips, and tearful expressions of hurt.
However as I have got older I have not only become more aware of the little slips and trips but increasingly more and more aware of more serious illness. One of the sad things about getting older is that quite a number of people I knew as a young person have sadly passed away. Sometimes suddenly and sometimes after a period of suffering, both mentally and physically. As a boy contemplating a minor ailment was nothing more than a few moments of nothingness really but when it gets serious, when someones life is at risk it takes things to another level. I suppose through maturity, experience, and study my considerations of illness and suffering have changed since childhood.
I certainly see death in significantly different way than I did, say ten years ago. I took 'life' for granted, and thought all my loved ones would go on forever. I'm still endeared to the romantic notion that this is possible, but reality tells me its is not possible. And so I think about dying in a different context. I am sure not all would agree, but I have great faith that when we die, we don't actually die! I accept our physical bodies die, but I firmly believe we go on to heaven. I don't what happens there, but I look forward to finding out although by Gods grace not for some time yet.
I am often intrigued why people leave flowers annually at landmarks where tragic accidents have happened. I wonder if the bereaved believe the deceased will be proud that ones death has been recognized with flowers in memorial. It also raises questions about funeral or cremation, I wonder if burials occur just in case, it could all be reversed by the act of a miracle. I have many questions and thoughts like this, but I suppose the point of this blog is one of healing.
All those minor illnesses have healed long ago, the aches and pains, cuts and sprains have dispersed. With the more serious problems which have resulted in friends and family dying the trauma and upset is monumental but the reality is we go on. Somehow we heal, we don't always recover completely and many may argue against me, but we do heal, ever so slowly.
As a Christian I get strength from my faith particularly in times of difficulty, I really think that when we are in a bit of a mess, something very real is slowly but surely putting us back together again if that is what we so choose but it poses the question, Well what if your not mentally tough enough do deal with all that ? And I would simply reply, 'He' provides, if you want his help.
The Bible tells us in the book of Mathew, that he will provide and therefore I leave you with that verse, reminding you and offering you the help of the Lord Jesus Christ if your at some point in your life the burden becomes to heavy.
In Christ with you all.
Alex
All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.
28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
