Belly Button Blues

Since my surgeries at the end of April, I've had one irritation after another with my oophorectomy incisions. Today was my third trip back to my gynecologist. It's not her fault. Apparently my body doesn't like the dissolving stitches that she used. Instead of quietly dissolving, they've been doing their best to find their way out in the most annoying ways, particularly in my belly button. Dr. R has used as much TLC as she can to help me heal, but it's not always pain-free. On my second trip, she had to give me TWO lidocaine shots in my belly button before she dug out 2 of the pesky stitches.....Can you say 'OOOOOOOUUUUUUUCH!'. We thought that would do it, but no, there was one more peaking out today. Thankfully, no shots were involved. So, hopefully that will be it. I'll continue to diligently clean the area twice a day, and pray that it will heal soon.

My belly button blues have been a constant irritation for weeks. Yet, I've been rather patient and diligent in dealing with the issue, waiting for healing to come. I would be remiss not to mention the parallel I see in my life as a mother...............

As a mom, I deal with character training in my kids several times day. The truth is I often see it as a 'constant irritation.' It's extremely easy to loose sight of the goal and to get frustrated with the whole process. At times I can be patient, but at other times I just wish my kids would get it the first time! Why don't they just get it? Do I have to explain this or teach that one more time? Didn't we just deal with that last week/ yesterday/ten minutes ago!

Like my Belly Button Blues, character training takes patience, diligence, A LOT of prayer and a WHOLE LOT of love. More than that, it takes a good Doctor. I'm glad I have one. He is always available to give me some TLC and direction as I work through the issues. But seeing Him can be a painful and often humbling process. He sees those pesky weaknesses in my life and does his best to bring them to the surface so that I can be a better mom. Getting them 'plucked' out can be as painful as those pesky stitches in my belly! Thankfully, He doesn't point his finger at me and say, "Why don't you just get it? Do I have to explain this one more time? Didn't we just deal with that last week/yesterday/ ten minutes ago!" Instead, He says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9)

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All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16

"Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." Matthew 7:3-5