Spiritual Lessons Learned at the Orthodontist & Beyond...

Yesterday was a very trying day, but there were some lessons learned...

My youngest son Drake got Braces, an expander and these "mound-thinggys" put on his teeth so that he can't totally bite down...

Anyway - I was in there during most of the 2hr. appointment... They got to the point of putting the wires into the brackets.. They clipped the ends to make it fit, then they burned the ends of the wire... I wondered why they did that, but I did not want to ask, because I was taking pictures of the whole process and did not want them to think I was psyhco.. :) But, right after I thought: "I wonder why they do that", the orthodontist assistant asked me if anyone told me why they did that... I said no.. (Thank You Lord!) She proceeded to tell me that the wire has memory in it, and showed me that you can bend it any way you want, but it goes right back to the way it was.. But, when you put fire to it, it erases the memory and it is more pliable and will do what you want it to... WOW!

It made me think of the Refiner's fire and how the Lord takes us through things or allows things to come into our lives that are trying, but the trial or fire allows what needs to be dealt with to come up... It makes my heart softer, it makes me more pliable in His hands, and causes me to rely on Him and not myself..

1 Peter 1:6-7:So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. 7 These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

(Malachi 3:2b-3:)

For he will be like a blazing fire that refines metal, or like a strong soap that bleaches clothes. 3 He will sit like a refiner of silver, burning away the dross. He will purify the Levites, refining them like gold and silver, so that they may once again offer acceptable sacrifices to the Lord.

Then we got home and it was a huge ordeal.. Drake could barely swallow his saliva much less eat or drink... (He is 8 years old so keep that in mind..)

Anyway - We were both in tears plenty of times yesterday and last night... I called everyone I could think of from Indiana to Texas.. And could not find anyone who had all three of these things at once in their mouth..

He was so angry and scared... It was so hard for me, because all I wanted to do was help, and he did not want to listen, he just wanted the stuff out of his mouth and wanted all this to stop! I tried to be helpful and love on him, and I even ended up yelling because he was so freaked out and would not let me help him... (I made everything I could think of for him to eat or drink..)

While we are in the midst of an uproar, I finally tell him that I can't help him until he is ready to listen.. I thought that this is how a parent must feel when their child is hurting and on drugs or alcohol and they are so angry but they don't know what to do with those feelings and they just take it out on the parents... (I have been that child..) Now I am on the other side of the anger, but I am thankful that it is only because of braces and other appliances.. But, I still could not do a thing for him until his strong will let down and he was ready to listen..

I know that I am like that with the Lord when something brings pain into my life.. My will rises up and I fight! I want it to STOP! And, all He is asking me to do is surrender, listen for His still small voice, and BE STILL!

Psalm 46:10a: Be still and know that I Am God;

Even in the hard places He is working out of me or something in me for the glory of His Kingdom..

Thank You Lord! I praise Your Holy name...