My Paisley Chair

Funny how something so small can bring back a flood of memories! I’m not sure what kind of vine is in my garden, but whatever it is, it comes equipped with “no-see-‘em” thorns! I didn’t even know I had a thorn, didn’t feel it go in, and certainly didn’t see it – thus the name “No-See-‘Ems”.

Later in the day, when my finger began to throb, I began the annoying the pursuit of the little “irritation”.  I still can’t see the transparent sliver, but I can feel it every time I pick something up. You see, it is buried deep in my right index finger, right on the pad that touches EVERYTHING! Here I should mention, I am severely right-handed.

As the days passed, which felt like an eternity, it became more and more frustrating. I attempted several times to dig the splinter out with a needle. I even used my cuticle scissors to cut around where I thought it was buried. All to no avail, and now, I am adorned with a band-aid! Insult added to injury, all of my digital devices are unlock with my fingerprint. Of course, they don’t read fingerprints that are covered up with a band-aid – ARGH!

It was still there! I could feel it, but only if it scraped in a certain direction. All the while, I am convinced that it has gone deeper and deeper because it gets more inflamed by the minute. It’s been suggested that I suck on my finger to see if I can get it to the surface. Thanks, but NO thanks! Something about the success of getting it out of my finger, at the risk of getting it buried in my tongue, doesn’t make sense to me. Jus’ sayin’.

Memories bubble to the surface …

It’s here that memories come bubbling up to the surface. As a child, one of the things I looked forward to the most about summer was going barefoot – ALL THE TIME! My feet were one big callus by mid-summer. Occasionally, when the concrete got too hot, I might slide on a pair of flip flops, the thin rubber kind from the five-and-dime store.

My yard, with the thick, lush, St. Augustine grass, was where the neighborhood kids played the most. In my mind, the grass literally begged for bare feet. Of course, I could play at my friend’s houses, IF I could still hear my dad whistle for me, and I was home before the streetlight came on. All of the kids knew exactly which yards we could run through to get home the fastest, where the mean dogs lived, and more importantly, which yards had stickers.

I must have been in too big of a hurry to get home the afternoon I ran through the dreaded yard with stickers. Regardless of how tough my feet were, a couple of thorns got buried in my foot. After running the rest of the way home, the stickers were deeply embedded in what little tender flesh I had left on my foot.  

Sticker Tools

Knowing what lay ahead, the kicking and screaming while being trapped by my dad and him digging in my foot, I did not want anyone to know how badly my foot hurt. Not until Mom noticed I was limping, and insisting on wearing shoes the next day, did the “sticker tools” come out. Tweezers, needle, magnifying glass, peroxide, cotton, and Band-Aids were gathered, and I was pinned. Scolded that it would have been much easier if I had gotten help immediately, the removal process began.

There is a limit! After much squirming, weeping, and wailing, we all reached it, the limit that is. Enter the answer to my prayer – Ichthammol Ointment. If you are unfamiliar with such, it is a thick, black, sticky, stinky ointment. Side note: a little research indicated the shelf life on this product is limitless.

I never understood why this was not the first line of defense, unless the ointment only worked when a hole had been dug through several layers of flesh and calluses. Everyone’s last nerve was exposed, the sticker, not so much. As a last resort, the yucky junk was generously applied and topped off with a bandage for the night.

Morning arrived and voila! No more sticker! Freedom and bare feet were restored.

When this memory surfaced, I rushed to the store to buy “drawing salve”. I can confirm the salve still works, and my finger has been restored.

What did I miss?

When I have an experience that triggers a memory, I wonder if there was something I should have learned, or if there is an applicable nugget of wisdom I might tuck away for future use. Almost always, there is something to learn or apply, so here goes.

After the fresh encounter with the black, miracle working salve, I wondered if there may be a scripture reference to consider. Tough I looked for it, my concordance didn’t cross reference Ichthammol. However, there is a reference to a balm from Gilead. I recall a song in the hymnal that referenced this balm, though I don’t remember a Sunday School lesson on the topic.

While Holy Spirit is not thick, black, and icky like the magical salve, He definitely can draw things out into the open and apply healing to wounds. Things too tender to let anyone else examine, His gentle touch can soothe. The limp we think no one notices, He can fix that too.

Where’s the balm?

When the whole nation of Israel was at wit’s end, when their self-inflicted wounds were incurable, and all hope was lost, Jeremiah cried out, “Is there not a balm in Gilead? Is there no physician?” Jeremiah 8:25

Rhetorical question but, YES! Without a doubt, there is a balm! Jeremiah was asking them, “Have you forgotten what you know to be true and what you have experienced in the past?” The ointment has been there all the time. Right there in the medicine cabinet, within reach!

How can it be that we don’t remember this salve until it is our last resort?

When all resources are exhausted and strength is gone, there is a balm! When we have done all we know to do, when all we have tried is either not enough, or we make matters worse, when the wound is incurable and others have given up hope on a cure, there is a balm. There is healing for broken hearts, fractured emotions, splintered minds, wounded souls, and weary bodies.

The ONLY answer!

When we find ourselves at the end of our rope, the ONLY answer is still the same answer from Jeremiah’s day. The only answer is God. He stands ready to apply the oil of the Spirit, bind up the wounds (seen and unseen), forgive, and restore us, when we return to Him.

Jesus read the passage from Isaiah 61:1-3 

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;  To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; (Luke 4:18) and declared, “This day the scripture is fulfilled”.

Note to self: Jesus binds up the brokenhearted, and He gives the oil of joy for mourning.

Proverbs 18:14 says, “The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness; But a broken spirit who can bear?” In my words, I might be strong enough to endure physical illness, but a broken spirit, I am not able to withstand.

Next time:

I can only hope the next time I experience a splinter in my soul, I remember what to do! Stop digging in, refusing to let Holy Spirit draw out what needs to be dealt with. Don’t wait until exhausted, exasperated, and out of resource. Return to a right relationship with God, repent, and let the renewal and restoration begin. Allow Jesus to bind up my brokenness, and Holy Spirit to draw out and remove any splinters so I can stop limping! He is the ONLY answer.

Only Jesus can heal broken hearts and fractured personalities! He IS the Balm of Gilead and the Great Physician.

Psalms 103:1-3 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, who forgives all my iniquity, who heals all my diseases. He redeems my life from the pit, crowns me with steadfast love and mercy, and satisfies me with good, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Just a thought …

There’s an open invitation to run barefoot into His Presence.  What are we waiting on – let’s go!

Afterthought:

I am embarrassed to say, this photo is from a fresh patch of stickers in my front yard. Obviously, there are no children going to run through my yard!