Chipmunk Cheeks :)

Last night, Daddy called us all together in the living room for family devotions and reminded everyone that today I was going to get my wisdom teeth out. As we were praying, and I smiled on Mirial (6) and Matthew (4) asking God in their simple, precious words that I would be safe and (according to Mattie) not look like a bad guy (you know, like how cartoon bad guys have missing teeth haha!) Daddy prayed for me last and as he was talking, his words suddenly grabbed my better attention. He prayed that I would remember Proverbs 3: 5-7 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight." Of course I've heard that verse a gajillion times, and we even made a song about it, but last night the Holy Spirit really caused that verse to stand out to me like it never has before.

I thought about it later as I was falling asleep and was deeply convicted. My personality is the calm, cool, collected type who isn't phased by anything much, plus, I'm very smart and always have a plan ready. But that often gets in the way of my faith. I tend to put my flawed intellect on the "throne" of my heart and worship it instead of God. And it often leads me to become in danger of apathy, the most deadly temptation I think a Christian could ever be faced with. I tend not to make a big deal about things at all and usually don't make a big deal about my sin either. The Lord has been teaching me that I need to depend on Him more and more every day and realize my desperate need for Him always. That's my new favorite verse in the Bible, because even though probably everyone's heard of it, the Lord has given new meaning to it for me and I hope I'll think of it always when I'm tempted to fall into Apathy and neglect my Bible reading and prayer times that should be so precious to me. I ask that you would pray that I continually apply that verse to my life and keep it in my mind always.

Anyway, back to the story...this morning, I had every intention of waking up at 6:15 and having time to get ready before my 7:55 appointment, but when the alarm rang, Marley (12) promptly got up and turned it off instead of pressing the "snooze" button so I went back to sleep and didn't wake up again until 7:12! Ahhhh! I had less than half and hour to get ready and the tee shirt I had planned on wearing wasn't even in the dryer yet. I scrambled around and was finally ready with mommy's approval, so I climbed in the car beside daddy and we were only five minutes late (that's got to be some sort of record :)

After I took a quick bathroom break, the nurse led me into the operating room. I made small talk until the doc came in and started on my IV. That was probably the worst part and was only a small pinch. They put on a nose mask with smelly oxygen and told me to breathe through my nose. I sounded like Darth Vader, so I said, "Luke, I am your father!" You know, to reassure the doctor that I wasn't nervous an ounce (which I wasn't). I started reciting my new favorite verse and then I don't remember much after that. I woke up in the chair and the nurse let me get my bearings a little before she led me, stumbling down the hallway to a small waiting area with a bed and blanket so I could wake up more. Daddy was there and the doctor came in to tell us that the procedure couldn't have gone better. Meanwhile, I was just trying to swallow through my gauze-stuffed and swollen cheeks. It was pretty much impossible so I just sopped up my bloody drool with a tissue. I felt fine, just a little groggy and the nurse told daddy to pull the car around back so I wouldn't have to go through the waiting room. It was snowing flurries outside when I stepped out and the ride home was also uneventful.

Coming home was the best part. Marley had made a bed for me on one of the couches and promptly laid me down to start recovery. There was a glass of water and get-well cards that the kids had made for me. I'm awake enough now to appreciate them, but at the time, it was just nod and try to smile as little chubby fingers waved the construction paper hearts and snowflakes in front of my face. We took out the gauze (what a relief) and put less back in so I could actually talk and swallow. Mommy gave me some motrin and presented me with a creative and very useful ice pack system she made: ice in sandwich baggies inside socks with the open tops tied together so it drapes over my head and rests on my cheeks. It looks hilarious and unorthodox, but it's ludicrously effective! I love it! I fell asleep after and woke up an hour later for mommy to give me new medicine that starts with a v and I can't remember what it's called. Here I am now, waiting on the couch for a vanilla milkshake and watching my brothers watch LEGO videos.

The moral of the story is: It's not that bad to get your wisdom teeth out: the IV is the worst part and that's only a small pinch. Also, don't become Apathetic, it's the worst thing that can happen to your faith!