Ablations, Solas, and Another New Song

Squirrels dart around in my back yard. Birthday party remnants line my kitchen counters. A half cup of coffee sits next to my lap top. And my new glasses sharpen the words on the screen. 

Life. It’s beckoning me to live.

A nurse returned my call last week, “Can you verify your address and date of birth?”

After rattling off my info, I listened as she continued less enthused than a cable TV sales rep, “You need the results of a recent single-fiber EMG?”

“Yes,” I replied.

“It was performed Tuesday?”

“Yeeesss…” 

Then I heard what I’d come to expect, “The results are normal.”

Earlier in the day, I spoke with the assistant who relayed my message to the nurse. After our short talk, I had the feeling that someone would've already contacted me if the results had been abnormal. So, by the time the nurse called, I’d already processed the first wave of let-down.

Some have encouraged me to celebrate the normal results. However, while there are many worse things than someone digging in your forehead with a needle—like hunger, walking miles for water, no toilet paper, and double vision without prism glasses—it’s taken a few days to accept I underwent a painful procedure yet again, to no avail. 

In the end, it just leads back to the reality that I have adult onset mitochondrial disease with cerebral folate deficiency, and most doctors don’t understand what that means or know how to treat it. 

Thus a quick commercial break... 

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So how did I cope and get on with life after the normal results? I got my hair done. A cut AND highlight. Yes, I spend money to remain a fake blonde. Losing three inches and layering what was left has me feeling a bit perkier.

Next, I tackled an art project. Utilizing my first spouse’s artwork, I created a plaque as a thank you. The finished products look good, but my right hand went ballistic from squeezing the gorilla glue bottle. In need of a brace for healing, my oldest son commented, “Mom, I think this means you have better things to do with your time than to run an Etsy shop.”

Thankfully, before my hand went south, I made plans to order Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q for Don’s family birthday party. When everyone arrived yesterday, we feasted, celebrated, and hung out as grand-kids played.

His special day mattered more this year because he's scheduled for a Cardiac Ablation early Wednesday morning. The routine procedure requires an overnight hospital stay but will hopefully reduce his atrial fibrillation.

Lately, I’ve heard only good reports from others who’ve had the same procedure. But the prayers of the saints carry, so please pray dear friends. 

In closing, I want to share a song I wrote a few weeks ago. While serving as the organist/accompanist at my parent’s home church of forty years for almost three months, I heard a sermon series on the Five Solas. 

“The Five Solas served as the collective rallying cry of the Protestant Reformers. These Latin phrases—Sola Scriptura, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, Solus Christus, and Soli Deo Gloria—tell us that Scripture alone is our highest authority and that salvation is by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, for God’s glory alone.” (https://reasonabletheology.org/ch-spurgeon-and-the-five-solas-of-the-reformation/)

Since Pastor James Harper stated them several weeks in a row, they began to simmer in my soul. As I drove away from an orthotic clinic (where I’d gone for the third time in hopes of picking up insoles that correctly cradle my feet) the first verse of this song tumbled out and led right to the five solas. 

Surprised, I determined to finish the song, and shared it on my last Sunday with extra help from willing musicians, including my mom and dad. 

My oldest stayed overnight after Don’s party and just sang it with me this morning. We only practiced about twenty minutes and did one take—make up free for me. But I want to share it in raw form. 

Because that's how I felt when I first sang these words and that's when they still mean the most. When life strips us bare and we're left with only our raw selves, the five solas ground us to what is true, eternal, and good. And always will be.

Words below...

You are high above the heavens; You are more than I can see

You are God of all creation; Yet you’re living inside of me

You can see beyond this moment and you know my yesterdays

I can give you all my worries and let them fade away

(Chorus)

For when I stand in faith alone

I see Christ alone

And then His grace alone surrounds me

So, I sing glory to God alone

For in His Word he has shown

That I can stand in faith alone

So if no one will go with me and I'm walking on my own

If the world around unravels, you will be my only hope

(chorus)

It's a mystery. One that's hard to believe

That a man gave his life for you and me

But when I let my heart simply believe

I find that I am free

Several photos courtesy of pixabay.com