Light Bulb
Yesterday marked a week and a half since my surgery. My wife described the day as my light bulb day in recovery (didn’t know she contemplated things like that so I’m pleased). She explained that in my recovery room in the hospital, I was in good shape and she felt that things were moving in the right direction… but I wasn’t there yet. I would agree.
While I was in my recovery room, all my attention and energy were focused on whatever the task I needed to perform to get out of there. First it was aided moving so I could be categorized as an independent mobility patient. Then it was getting a drain tube removed so I could take a shower…there were probably a few more steps but those were the high hurdles I had to complete to get out of there. I found, when I got home to recover, I actually felt a little worse off than I was in the recovery room. First, all the deep sedation and pain meds wore off and we had to figure out a routine. Second, my movement was still limited and I couldn’t get comfortable. I would say most of that first week home was like that with small incremental improvements each day.
Saturday, my spouse had some family over. She was careful to encourage them to let me rest and to encourage me to come outside and say hello. She knew that my state of recovery needed more physical movement than I had been doing for the previous week. Saturday just was not that day.
Yesterday (Sunday), I decided I wanted to go to church. Lots of y’all were glad to see me and let me know. A precious few expressed concern not to overdo it. By the end of the sermon, I felt blessed and tired. I expected to go home and sleep for the rest of the day.
That must have been when my wife’s light bulb moment went off. Suddenly, I didn’t want to sleep the day away and wrote a devotion. Then a friend stopped by and I visited with her (and went outside to do it). Later in the day, I even went to the store with my wife to find those delicious popsicles that they had in the hospital. That’s when my wife declared that yesterday was my light bulb day of my recovery. The day that I returned to being more like myself.
“As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.” - Luke 24:36-43 ESV
The disciples had just had their world pulled out from under them when they crucified our savior. Scared and in hiding. Not knowing what to do or say or if they were next to be murdered. Then they had their light bulb day when Jesus appeared before them and made them feel at ease.
If you know the Gospels, you know what comes next
“Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:16-20
I pray that each of us has our light bulb day every day.
