I sometimes refer to my job as being a plumber, not the kind of covert spy like the plumbers of Watergate, tasked with wiretapping and making sure dead men tell no tales, as some melodramatic souls on the internet have implied. An amusing idea indeed, but no, not that kind.
Nor do I mean the kind of plumber that can fix a faucet and snake a drain, although I can do some of those things, too. I mean a plumber in terms of human plumbing, the plumbing within the human body. Not just the plumbing that lends itself well to potty jokes, but mostly circulatory plumbing, blood pressure, heart rate, oxygen levels.
Most of my people have assorted circulation issues, blockages, aneurysms, diabetes, and much of my work involves keeping an eye on potential wounds, skin checks, circulation. If your blood isn’t flowing well, healing stops, actually it reverses, and a wound rather than getting smaller, will begin to grow. If an infection sets in you are in deep trouble, because no blood flow means no healing and no way to get rid of the infection. We forget, but in very recent history before antibiotics, even healthy, young people could die from what we today would call a minor infection.
If you have a wound that blood can’t reach and all other medical avenues have been exhausted, often the only solution is to amputate. If doctors don’t remove the infected part, it will basically spread, poison you, and you will die.
Our own blood is life, literally. It cleanses, repairs damage, and brings healing. Where the blood won’t go, death sets in quickly.
In a Christian context I am often amazed by that biological fact and how it is reflected so clearly in a spiritual sense in scripture, scripture written a few thousand years before man even realized that germs existed. Heck, we were still bloodletting only a few hundred years ago.
The Blood of the Lamb, it heals too, cleanses, prevents infection, and restores life.
I have a praise, a healing praise, because I have been engaged for months in uphill battles to care for people’s tiny scratches that have now grown into ugly wounds, that have thwarted all my efforts and the efforts of doctors, some that have simply reached the point of no return. There is almost no circulation, and someone I adore is now facing the inevitable which is going to involve removing a limb. I have prayed and grieved and encouraged, and prayed some more.
So they went to schedule surgery and the doctor said, “hold up here, we’ve suddenly got some blood flow.” Long story short, what should have been a short trip to emergency surgery, had the doc so encouraged, he’s decided to wait and do another follow-up.
It really is astounding. A few days ago, I was being chided for saying, “well, let’s just try to think positively.” I meant think positively no matter what the outcome is, but the doctor and the nurse both spoke about the need to face reality and not engage in false hope. Heck, what would they know, most of the time I don’t even engage in real hope.
Do you ever notice that when people tell you to face reality, they always mean the worst possible scenario? Why is that always more “real” than any other possibility?
Anyway, swelling is gone, skin color has returned, and the wound has shrunk a hamster whisker. Now I hear someone is suddenly demanding pain relievers. It’s the oddest thing to see people with wounds that don’t really hurt, but where there is no life, there is often no pain either. Pain is a good sign, pain is a sign of life and potential healing happening.
I love unexpected surprises.
I don’t know what the outcome will be or what tomorrow brings but I celebrate the blood daily, the blood in our bodies that brings healing, and sometimes I even celebrate the pain that signifies life. In another realm, in another context, it always reminds me to praise the Blood of the Lamb that also cleanses and restores our lives.
Joseph E Bird said:
As I’m sure you’ll agree, there isn’t time to read everything offered. So I don’t always read every one of your posts. But the shoe phone caught my eye. And so I read. I’ll not read all the argumentative responses that seem to follow your posts, but as always, good words for those who would hear.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thank you for taking the time to read. I’m glad the shoe phone caught your attention. I think we all need to have some fun once in a while 😉
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Odii said:
Couldn’t coherently tell you why if I tried, but I’m very happy I read this just now, IB. Thanks for sharing.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thanks for reading, Odii. Your insights are always much appreciated.
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Wally Fry said:
Oh my word IB. Thank you thank you loved this so much. You really connected the suffering of every day life and connected it to the wonderful healing blood of jesus. Only the hardest of hearts could read that and not be moved
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thanks, Wally. Glad you enjoyed it. 😉
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Salvageable said:
I am rejoicing with you and with the person under your care for this good news. And, yes, the Blood of Christ is the one thing needed to heal our sins and the wounds caused by the sins of others of caused by the evil in this world. Thank you for this timely reminder. J.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thank you for your kind words and for your comment. Rejoicing is something we need to engage in every chance we get. One might even say it is a commandment. 😉
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kimberlyharding said:
beautiful posting. like what you said about “facing reality” tends to make us think of the worst consequences, rather than the best
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brokenradius said:
Blood is for sure the most complex of all our bodies tissues (except brain, of course), and although it is one of the best studied and best understoud parts of us, many of the mechanisms it is involved in (like immunity, metabolish, or wound healing) are still a mysterious to a large part. The mythological association of blood (and of the heart) with human life came probably from the observation that you can lose a leg or an ear or a tongue or all the teeth and survive. But if one lost larger parts of blood (or suffered from a heart injury) he unrevokably passed away.
regards, Michael
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ColorStorm said:
Hope you don’t mind hearing that this post is waaaay good.
‘Face reality’ has that poorly interpreted diminishing quality as you say, or ‘hear’ rather, but the connection with pain is spot on. Remember not too long ago we heard something about a baby crying being born, as if that was punitive or dreadful. Fortunately there is the rest of the story, and thank God He has enabled us to see with laser vision if interested.
And the Blood you speak reverently of ms bytes, invites us to that place where the water flows endlessly, and gives life that is overflowingly abundant……………and inspires posts 😉
By the way, just finished a massive brake job on my truck over a few days, but I notice as wally alluded, there has been no shortage of good stuff in websville.
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Wally Fry said:
Yep, been some good words put out there. And, sadly, the reaction one would expect.
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insanitybytes22 said:
Thanks, Colorstorm. Indeed, there has been no shortage of good stuff in the blogosphere.
Ah, brakes! Brakes are a good thing. I had mine fixed not long ago, makes a huge difference. I’m laughing here because it was more like the entire front end of my car was coming apart at the seams. I now have a tires…and brakes, which is a bit more reassuring come winter time. 😉
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Paul said:
Excellent advice and commentary IB – and very on target for me right now. My right leg has gotten cellulitis and is badly swollen.As a dialysis patient this is a problem because I have peripheral neuropathy which reduces blood flow to the extremities. So I am staggering around hardly able to walk. I spent all night Wed in Emerg and had it inspected again on Friday and am on IV antibiotics.Hoping it will heal well – eventually.
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insanitybytes22 said:
I’m sorry, Paul. Cellulitis is no fun. I’m glad they’re taking good care of you. I’ll pray for a speedy recovery.
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Tricia said:
What a wonderul post, subtle yet powerful in the now obvious truths it points out. Yes indeedy pain is surly a sign of life as is caring enough to hope for a good outcome. As I just recently told a friend, prayers work, miracles happen.
Oh ,the shoe phone caught my eye as well. Well done! 😉
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Susan Irene Fox said:
“Pain is a good sign, pain is a sign of life and potential healing happening.” We forget this, too. Such a wonderful post remember the life we have in the Blood of the Lamb and the pain we receive as a sign of life, of movement and of healing. This was inspired writing. Thank you.
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