Scars

My husband is an engineer…has an engineer brain.
Anyone married to an engineer can understand.
Very practical…very black and white…not very emotional.
I guess I make up for that…being a woman…being me!

The engineer in him loves projects…so he does woodworking as a hobby.
Our home is full of many of the beautiful things he has made.
My favorite is our large kitchen table with benches.
It easily fits the seven of us…and any other guests we might have for dinner.

One thing you have to be careful of, however, is getting up off the benches.
The benches are very long.
If you are sitting at one end, and decide to get up, the person at the other end will go down, due to the shift in weight.
It is like a see-saw if you are not careful.

We are all used to it.
It only tends to do this when there are two people on the bench.
Many people on the bench distributes the weight evenly.
We always need to remind guests…with a simple, I’m getting up now!

I have my own bench story!

When I was in 7th grade, I was twelve years old and in the school choir.
They needed a piano player and/or organist to accompany the choir.
I got the job…along with another girl…whose first name was the same as mine!
We shared the responsibility and both of us looked up anytime our name was called.

It worked very well…taking turns.
Each of us felt that we were contributing by using our gift this way.

One event, late in the school year, was being held outside on the school grounds.
A portable “organ” was brought in…before the days of calling it a keyboard.
They placed the organ on a high, table-like platform.
From this vantage point, we could easily see the director and she could see us.
They even put a microphone under the organ so that the music was magnified.

We accompanied the choir for all of their selections, alternating our playing.
The last song was about to be sung.
It was my turn to play.

For whatever reason, the other girl got up a bit quicker than she usually did.
As if in slow motion…I went down.
The bench toppled over…with me on it!
The leg on the bench had been loose…and repaired…though not very well.
The metal part that attached to the bottom of the bench was now attached to my leg.
The microphone used to magnify the sound…certainly did!
The audience turned to see what happened.

If you think a person falls off a bench gracefully…think again!
If you think there is anything glamorous about having all eyes on you as you lay on the ground…you are mistaken!
If you think that it is possible to walk away…your leg still stinging from the gash…while everyone else scurries around to recover and complete the song…it is!

My poor co-pianist probably had to finish the song standing up…leaning over the keyboard.
I vaguely remember hearing music as I walked away…the school nurse by my side.

I was fine…just butterfly stitches…but the scar is still there behind my left leg.
My pride was another matter!

When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.
(Proverbs 11:2)

To this day, any time I get too sure of myself, I can easily bring back this memory.
It checks my pride pretty quick!

I still have my scar…but one day I won’t have it any more.
When I get to heaven, my scar will be gone…as will my tears, my pain, my fears.

…when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. (1 Corinthians 13:10)

When we get to heaven, there will be Someone who still has His scars.
Our Lord Jesus…our precious Savior.
Those scars are the ones He incurred for me…for you…for all that are in Him.

Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll? But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll and look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.” Then I saw a Lamb looking as if it had been slain standing in the center of the throne…(Revelation 5:2-6)

Jesus is worthy.
Jesus the Lion…but also…Jesus the Lamb that was slain.
By His wounds…we are healed.

Our scars will be gone, but His remain as a testimony of His great, sacrificial love for us!