Do you have moments in your mind that shine brighter than any other thought or memory? Maybe a favorite birthday or vacation that, when it comes up, you beam with excitement and have stories to share. I have several I could share, and no matter how embarrassing they may be or how telling they are about how awkward I was, they will always be something I wish I could go back to and relive over and over again. Like the times my three brothers and I would go sledding for hours and make up different challenges or games to go along with the thrill of going fast down what we thought was a massive hill! From racing and seeing who could go the furthest to our concrete driveway to playing Star Wars in the snow, jumping from one sled to the other to know of a stormtrooper about to tell of our rebel base location! It didn’t matter how cold or injured we’d get by accidentally hitting a tree while fighting for a sled. In the end, the memory will shine for me.
In life, we have memories like this that shine because it is a happy moment, but what if we made some of the most challenging moments shine to encourage and inspire others? Often, when I’ve had recoveries, surgeries, or had to do weeks of physical therapy, it is often referred to as a negative memory, and in no way should it feel like a shining moment, but one thing I’ve been receiving from reading my Bible are the stories of the struggles those people went through and without their stories of challenges I wouldn’t know the victory that sometimes came afterward. Not each story has a “happy” ending, but if I didn’t realize that some of the disciples struggled with trusting Jesus or that Abraham and Sara had to wait hundreds of years for their promised son, how would I be encouraged to walk through my doubts?
I’m not saying we live in gloom like Eeyore, but it is unhealthy to only look at ourselves as comparisons to each other and even more so to live a life of fake identity. Some of my best moments with the Lord have been through both thick and thin; one story I would love to share is this.
I had just had an abdominal surgery that left me in a state of being unable to eat or drink anything. A nasal tube down my throat made me gage and my throat sore for days. At the time, they were trying to keep my stomach as empty as possible, with the exception of ice chips to keep my throat coated and less scratchy. When my surgeon came in one day, I asked her if it was possible to have gum or some flavor in my mouth, even if it was temporary or had to be spit out! To my surprise, she allowed me to suck on Jolly Ranchers. I’m not too fond of fruit flavor candy, but I didn’t care what it was after not having anything tasty for days. It was “food-like!” That first watermelon candy was superb! Here’s the shining moment for me. Although the memory of Jolly Ranchers at that moment could have been the shining moment, I still had the tube in my throat, and I was allowed to swallow the candy once it melted in my mouth, but one thing I didn’t plan for or even expect was the aftermath of the sweet candy!
A nurse came in shortly after I had just finished a blue raspberry and began to laugh while doing my meds. I asked her, “What’s funny?” She pointed at my drainage bucket, which caught anything trying to enter my esophagus, and there I saw a rainbow of all the Jolly Ranchers I had just consumed! Too much information, readers? Well, I said I’d write honestly, and so I have!
Was this surgery one I wanted to remember or have? No, but I believe that God cares about our experiences. If we can allow our hearts to be softened, we can reflect on these memories and see the glimmer of joy we can glean from hardship.
For my readers who have experienced a medical struggle, I want to challenge you: when you are going into a procedure, think of ways you can be a glimmer of joy to the nurses and technicians around you. We do not desire these things, but this is our field of mission. God can move in any atmosphere and use both happy and shining moments to make people experience Him, and He can use the most, unlike my Jolly Rancher juices being slurped out of my tube. This blog is one of many ways how I share this story for others to know, or maybe even my nurse shared it with her coworkers or other patients to make them laugh at an unpleasant and unwanted situation.
What’s your shining moment to share?
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