Thursday, July 14, 2011

Pearly Whites

I've always despised the Dentist.  Not my dentist personally mind you, but the entire check-up/visit process.  I would spend hours worrying about it - "Would I have cavities? Would it hurt? Would he be able to tell that flossing was something I engaged in only when I had sweet corn or popcorn seeds lodged?".........

But THIS time......... was different.  For starters, I completely forgot about the appointment.  Until my "reminder call" the night before, I hadn't given a visit to the dentist the slightest thought (and from what they tell me, it had been a year since my last).  After all, I hadn't had any pain, nothing was poking me, and from what I could tell, they were all still there.

The beauty of the "forgotten appointment" was that I saved myself hours of worry.....unnecessary worry.  My mouth was going to display exactly what I had been up to over the past year (that last minute "really good" brushing we do is most likely obvious to the professional).

So I arrived at his office.  As I sat in the waiting room, I again wondered... "Suppose he'll be able to tell I don't floss unless necessary?"  Nah......

They called me in.  I took my place in the chair and gripped the arm rests (standard procedure - -  am I alone in this?).  I shut my eyes, opened up wide, and prepared for the invasion........Aside from a little poking, a little prodding, and a little polishing....it was painless.  PAINLESS.  A trip to the dentist!  Painless!  *Please keep in mind that this had not been my typical scenario.  I was fully accustomed to bleeding gums, tears, novocaine, more tears, drilling, still more tears, and cramped wrists and fingers from gripping those vinyl arm rests.

The entire visit lasted about 20 minutes.  When I opened my eyes and sat up, my sweet dentist was staring down at me.  "Looks great Tera, a strong healthy smile with no signs of decay"  ........Excuse me, could you repeat that?  Please?  40 years I've been waiting to hear those wonderful words!  I looked back at him and exclaimed, "Here's to Healthy Living!  Less pop, more water, better choices!"  He smiled his gentle smile and I knew that he agreed completely with my excited declaration (although I'm not sure he's ever witnessed such exuberance from a simple teeth cleaning...).

I left his office and began to think.....
When we make changes to our life......changes that aren't always easy but that we know are right, we have the amazing opportunity to see the fruits of our labor.  My newly polished Pearly Whites weren't a result of that morning's last ditch effort to brush fervishly in hopes of covering up months of neglect....they were a direct result of changes I had made in my life ..... they were the Fruits of my Labor.
 The same is true of our commitment to Christ.
I spend time with Him............so I can bear Good Fruit.
I Worship.........so I can bear Good Fruit.
I read his Word.........so I can bear Good Fruit.
I Pray.........so I can bear Good Fruit.
and it all takes TIME......Dedicated TIME.....in a world that demands anything & everything we have left some days, it requires TIME.......But you see my friends, when we TAKE that time......and Commit to a new Habit ....we have the ability to bear Good Fruit.....and flash a Pearly White Smile too.


It took me 40 years to realize I was on this Journey with Him.
It took me 40 years to get that desperately hoped for A+ on my dental report card.
Making Positive Life Changes is not always Easy.....but the Fruit is Delicious.

Sweet Shining Blessings,
Tera

**Ps.......I still don't floss........unless it's sweet corn season.

Monday, July 11, 2011

40 years.........just me...and those Israelites.

Ok Holy Spirit ~ ~ ~ ~ Let's DO this thing.  I have been thinking & praying for months and months about the possibility of starting my own Blog.  There were, of course, a few rocks in the road that I encountered.....First, the small pebble... "Tera, you are NOT computer savvy, a blog? really?".......Next was the stone......"Tera, you are NOT an expert in the area of Bible history & knowledge...what if you mess up on the important "stuff"?......and finally, the undeniable boulder blocking my path..."Tera, there is NOT a person out there who wants to hear from a girl with such a simple story to tell".........That's when it hit me.....that's when HE hit me...our REAL Rock.......Perhaps I'm not alone?  Perhaps I'm not the only 40 year old Jesus Girl that spent 40 years in the Wilderness before finding her way out? Perhaps the Israelites have gotten a bad rap throughout  history? I mean, after all, I too had witnessed God's Love, Light, Grace, & Mercy throughout the years (truth be told, I never gave Him the credit), and yet I had remained in the Dark.....So let's Do this Thing God.....Let's show your Kids how to get out of the Dark ~ and SHINE in the Son ☼