Jill has been reminding me today (Monday) that this needs to get written so we talked about what has been happening in my life recently.  I know there have been heaps of things because the diary has been full as has the email in box.  And the paper is mounting on my desk for the “to do” list indicating precious little time to get to those items.  But there seems to have been one constant for a few weeks – a visit to the dentist on Wednesday mornings.  (Why was I blessed with terrible quality teeth?)

I have needed a root canal and subsequent crown. You make yourself very vulnerable lying on your back on the dentist’s “chair” with mouth wide open for an hour or so.  If it were not for the discomfort, noise of the drill and suction implement, occasional smell of ground tooth dust, and bright light, then one could readily slip into sleep.  I had not been to this surgery previously so there was a little to look at, but not much – diplomas on the wall, and a blank ceiling.  Some surgeries have a mural on the ceiling which makes for interesting viewing.  But I did notice that I could sort of watch what was going on by a slightly deformed reflected image in the chrome framework of the overhead light.  However I found it more comfortable to shut my eyes most of the time. Yes it is not the most enjoyable experience but bearable with the reminder that “short term pain means long term gain”. 

There are heaps of applications to one’s spiritual journey: rotten stuff needs to be dug out, the weakness of the flesh can be “repaired” by the grace of Heavenly Father, total submission to our God is what is required, the more we put off dealing with things the more difficult and costly they become,  and so on.

It does not take a lot of thinking to find parables or stories as vehicles for conveying truth and Good News.