TOXICITY (RVD)

DON'T LET TOXIC PEOPLE

RUIN YOUR LIFE.

YOU KNOW THE KIND?

THE ONE'S THAT WANT TO RAIN ON YOUR PARADE?
JUST BECAUSE THEY MAY BE FAMILY
DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T BRING TOXICITY
INTO YOUR RACE TO ETERNITY.
GOD TELLS US TO GUARD OUR HEARTS DAILY,
AND IT TOOK ME A LONG, LONG TIME
TO REALLY UNDERSTAND THAT ONE SMALL WORD OF LOVE.
AFTER ALL, I'VE ALWAYS WORN MY HEART ON MY SLEEVE.
"YOU'RE TO SENSITIVE," I WAS TOLD DAILY,
UNFORTUNATELY,
TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S INGRAINED
INTO AND WRITTEN ON MY SOUL.
BUT,
PRAISE THE LORD,
HIS SCRIPTURE AND WORDS OF
AGAPE LOVE,
ARE DEEPER IN MY SOUL,
AND THOSE TOXIC WORDS WILL NEVER GAIN CONTROL
OF ANYTHING THAT MATTERS
BECAUSE I KNOW
WHO REALLY LOVES ME.
JESUS DOES.

PROVERBS 4:23 - ABOVE ALL ELSE,
GUARD YOUR HEART,
FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO
FLOWS THROUGH IT.

I KNOW YOU KNOW (COMPLETELY REVISED)

LORD,

I KNOW

YOU KNOW

I HAVE BEEN BROKEN
TOO MANY TIMES TO COUNT,

BOTH IN BODY AND SPIRIT.

I WRITE ABOUT IT SO VERY MANY TIMES.

SHOULDN'T I HAVE ALREADY MOVED ON?

I LET THE DIRTY SECRET

OUT OF THAT DUSTY INSIDE-LOCKED CLOSET,

WHY,
OH WHY
I SIGH
 IS MY TASK YOU SET BEFORE ME YOURSELF
NOT YET COMPLETED,
BECAUSE I AM
EXHAUSTIVELY DEPLETED.
I ONLY FEEL THIS WAY, THOUGH,
WHEN I AM ALONE,
NOT LOOKING TOWARD YOUR THRONE.

LORD,
I KNOW
YOU KNOW

 THAT I AM SO TIRED OF HAVING TO PROVE MYSELF

OVER AND OVER
AND OVER AGAIN.

I WILL NEVER BE GOOD ENOUGH,

I WILL NEVER BE SMART ENOUGH
FOR THEM.

AND,
DARE WE MENTION THE FACT

THAT I CONSIDER MYSELF (shrug) AN ARTIST?

BUT, JESUS, YOU MADE ME
IN YOUR IMAGE.

I AM YOURS.

I WOULD NEVER HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.
JESUS,
I KNOW

YOU KNOW

THAT MOST DAYS I HOPE

I DON'T HAVE MUCH MORE TIME LEFT

BECAUSE JUST THE OTHER DAY

 I WAS PRETTY SURE
 I MAY HAVE JUST CAUGHT A GLIMPSE

OF THE FINISH LINE.

YES.

I KNOW.

I'M NOT DONE YET.

DON'T COUNT ME OUT.
NOT TO BE SNIPPY,
BUT
I KNOW
YOU KNOW
I'VE HEARD IT ALL BEFORE.
(OR MAYBE NOT.)

I'VE STEPPED THROUGH THIS FIRST DOOR,

THE COATROOM

SO TO SPEAK,

AND I CAN SEE A LARGER DOOR
BEYOND THIS PLACE.

AND,
HONESTLY,
I REALLY DON'T THINK
 IT'S THAT FAR.

SO I WILL STEP OUT IN FAITH,

KNOWING
ASSUREDLY
YOU WILL LIGHT MY WAY.

I TRUST IN ONLY YOU

AND YOUR WORD.

DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY?

BECAUSE
I KNOW
YOU KNOW

HOW VERY MUCH YOU LOVE ME SO.

2 CORINTHIANS 5:17

WE LIVE BY FAITH,

NOT BY SIGHT

GOODBYE MAMA JAN

I QUIETLY GLANCED
AROUND THE HUSHED ROOM

AT MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS
LOVINGLY

SURROUNDING
OUR MOTHER'S DEATHBED

AS SHE TOOK HER 
TWO LAST PEACEFUL BREATHS,
I LEANED DOWN TO TELL HER 
HOW VERY MUCH I LOVED HER
AND HOW VERY SORRY
I HADN'T BEEN A BETTER DAUGHTER.
AND AS I KISSED HER CHEEK FOR THE FINAL TIME,
 I NOTICED SHE HAD A SMALL TEAR IN HER EYE.
SHE HAD BEEN LISTENING
TO A CLOSE FRIEND

SING SWEET HYMNS
OF THE SWEET BY AND BY

AND THEN
 HER SOUL LEFT HER QUIETLY,

LIKE A WHISPER OR THE SOUND OF AN ANGEL'S  WINGS.

I MAY HAVE SADNESS IN MY HEART FOR NOW

BECAUSE I WILL MISS YOUR SWEET SMILE

THAT BROUGHT A GLITTER TO YOUR SOUL AND YOUR BEAUTIFUL EYES,

BUT I WANT TO REJOICE AND BE HAPPY FOR YOU,

KNOWING YOU ARE A PART OF GOD'S FAMILY.

NOW REST IN OUR FATHER'S ARMS,

REUNITED WITH YOUR LOVED ONES,

EXACTLY WHERE YOU BELONG.
SEE YOU SOON.

2 CORINTHIANS 8


...TO BE ABSENT FROM THE BODY
IS TO BE PRESENT WITH THE LORD.

BELIEVE. EASY BREEZY

I OPENED THE DOOR,

I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME

THAT SOMEONE STOPS LYING,

IT'S BEEN DECADES NOW

AND ONE OF THE PARTIES RESPONSIBLE

HAS PASSED OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE.

AND I REFUSE TO LIE,

TO SMILE THROUGH THE PAIN,

THE AGONY,

THE SHAME.

I AM NO LONGER INVISIBLE,

I HAVE A VOICE,

AND I WANT TO LET OTHERS KNOW

THAT THEY HAVE A CHOICE.

OPEN THE DOOR,

LET JESUS IN,

HE WILL NEVER TURN AWAY FROM YOU,

HE FORGIVES YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR SINS.

YOU HAVE BEEN WASHED IN THE BLOOD,

SAVED BY GOD'S ONLY SON.

NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENED YESTERDAY,

TRUST IN THE LORD

AND MOVE ON.

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME

ON THOSE PEOPLE THAT SHOULD LOVE YOU THE MOST

CAN'T TAKE THE TIME.

LEARN EARLY ON

THAT JESUS IS THE ONLY ONE

THAT KNOWS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE,

AND GIVES IT FREELY

AS LONG AS HE IS ASKED.
OPEN YOUR HEART,
HE IS THE KEY.

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS JUST ASK.
BELIEVE.
EASY
BREEZY.

JOHN 1:12

YES TO ALL WHO RECEIVED HIM, TO THOSE WHO BELIEVED IN HIS NAME, HE GAVE THE RIGHT TO BECOME CHILDREN OF GOD.

HEALED (REVISED) (AND NOW WITH SCRIPTURE)

MY TOO SOFT OF A HEART

HAS BEEN BROKEN APART.
SHATTERED
INTO A MILLION PIECES

SO MANY TIMES,

TOO MANY TO COUNT,

NEVER ENOUGH TIME TO HEAL
IN BETWEEN.

BUT HERE I KNEEL,

PRAYING TO MY LORD,

FEELING INSPIRED.

I LONG TO WALK IN THE GARDEN,

HAVE HIM HOLD MY HAND,

BECAUSE I KNOW THAT DEEP DOWN

HE IS THE ONLY ONE WHO TRULY UNDERSTANDS.

I WANT TO BE TAKEN UP IN THE SKY
IN A CHARIOT

IN A BLAZE OF GLORY,

NOT ASHAMED FOR THE WHOLE WORLD TO SEE,
NEVER ASHAMED TO SAY

HOW MUCH I LOVE MY LORD.

AND IF I WASN'T BROKEN

HOW COULD I EVER TELL ABOUT HIS GLORY,
LET ALONE SHARE HIS STORY?

PSALM 34:18

THE LORD IS CLOSE

TO THE BROKENHEARTED

AND SAVES THOSE

WHO ARE CRUSHED IN SPIRIT

SO GRATEFUL AND NOTHING BUT BLESSED

THE PAIN IS SO MUCH LESS

THAN IT WAS YESTERDAY,

HOW CAN I NOT FEEL ANYTHING BUT GRATEFUL AND BLESSED?

HAVEN'T FELT LIKE WRITING ANYTHING IN FOREVER

.MOST DAYS THE PAIN

HAS BEEN MUCH MORE THAN OVERWHELMING.

BUT, AS MY HUSBAND  HAS REMINDED ME MANY TIMES

(YES, SOME DAYS I REALLY DO LISTEN)

SOMETIMES GOD MAKES LEMONADE,

ESPECIALLY WHEN THE CLOUDS ARE DARK

AND IT IS MUCH MORE THAN GLOOMY,

IT IS RAINY.

BUT ISNT IT JUST THOSE TIMES

WHEN WE SHOULD BE THINKING UP THOUGHTFUL RHYMES

FOR PEOPLE WE DON'T EVEN KNOW CLEAR ACROSS THE GLOBE,

IF ONLY JUST TO MAKE 

SOMEONE, ANYONE ELSE'S DAY

JUST THAT MUCH MORE HAPPY AND SUNNY

KNOWING SOMEONE THEY DON'T EVEN KNOW

CLEAR ACROSS THE GLOBE

IS PRAYING FOR THEM.

MAY WE ALL LIVE IN PEACE.

WHY? (RVD)

SITTING IN MY WHEELCHAIR

AT THE LOCAL EMERGENCY ROOM,

I TOOK A CHANCE AND GLANCED AT THE CLOCK

AND REALIZED I HAD BEEN WAITING FOR HELP

FOR SIX HOURS.

MY BODY WAS IN EXCRUTIATING AGONY,

SHARP FIRE LIKE PAINS SHOOTING UP AND DOWN MY SPINE,

TRYING  SO HARD TO HIDE MY CRYING.

WE DIDN'T GET HOME UNTIL FOUR THIS MORNING.

SO WHY AM I SO GRATEFUL NOW?

BECAUSE I KNOW GOD WAS WITH ME THE ENTIRE TIME,

AND I HAD A CHANCE TO TESTIFY JUST BY OTHERS WATCHING ME PRAYING.

I AM NOT ASHAMED.

I DO WONDER WHY, THOUGH, WHY I HAVE NOT YET BEEN HEALED.

I ASK MYSELF DAILY IS IT A QUESTION OF FAITH?

IS THIS BACK PAIN THE THORN IN MY SIDE?

AM I HELPING ANYONE BY LETTING THEM KNOW THERE IS HOPE AND A REASON FOR THEIR VERY EXISTENCE

AND THAT GOD CAN USE ANYONE, ANY TIME, ANY PLACE?

I PRAY SO,

SO AS MY OWN SUFFERING WOULD NOT BE IN VAIN.

JESUS SAYS THAT HE WILL NEVER PUT US THROUGH ANYTHING HE HASN'T BEEN THROUGH HIMSELF

OR NOTHING THAT WE CAN'T HANDLE.

BUT DON'T YOU SEE?

IF WE ARE TRULY WHO WE SAY WE ARE,

WE ARE NOT HANDLING A THING.

OUR LIFE BELONGS TO OUR SAVIOR AND KING.

AND SOME DAY SOON, THERE WILL BE NO MORE PAIN.

I AM GRATEFUL I'M A CHILD OF GOD,

AND I PRAY THAT WHATEVER I WRITE IS A COMFORT TO AT LEAST ONE PERSON IN THIS SMALL WORLD

AND HELPS THEM SEE THE TRUE NATURE OF GOD

AND DOES NOT GIVE UP

ON HIM OR HIS AGAPE LOVE.

NOT A GOOD TESTIMONY:  ARRIVED HOME FROM ER EARLY YESTERDAY AFTER BEING THERE FOR NEARLY 24 HOURS.  I HAD TO GO BY AMBULANCE, AND PRAISE GOD FOR ALL SUCH WORKERS.  BUT, UNFORTUNATELY, IT MUST HAVE BEEN A BUSY DAY FOR EMERGENCY ROOMS CUZ THEY WERE RE-ROUTING ALL AMBULANCES TO COUNTY.  NOT THAT I DON'T MIND COUNTY, BUT, PLEASE, AND I CAN SAY THIS CUZ I WORKED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD FOR ABOUT A SECOND:  PLEASE, IF YOU DO WORK IN THE MEDICAL FIELD AT ALL, IN ANY CAPACITY, THEN DO SO OUT OF EMPATHY.  GOOGLE IT.  OKAY, I'LL GET OFF MY SOAPBOX NOW.

I HEART METAPHORS

IT'S BEEN SINCE 2002,

AND ON TOP OF THAT,

YOU DIVORCED MY DAD WHEN I WAS 12,

SO COULD I PLEASE NOW BEG FOR GRACE

AND ASK STRAIGHT
TO  YOUR FACE
CUZ I'M VERY TIRED OF THIS
ELUSIVENESS,
TO PLEASE STOP MAKING FUN OF ME 
RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME,
AND FOR KNOWING YOUR HISTORY,
BEHIND MY FACE.

I KNOW BY NOW THAT I WAS BORN WITH 
ALL OF MY POOR FATHER'S FAULTS.
IT'S CALLED GENETICS.
LOOK IT UP.
SO I'M SENSITIVE,
A GIANT AMONG YOU DWARFS,
LONG HEALTHY LEGS
(A SORE SUBJECT),
AND VERY SKIN THIN.
AND, HERE IS MY BROKEN HEART,
RIGHT ON MY SLEEVE
FOR ALL TO SEE.
BUT LOOKING AT MY FUZZY REFLECTION,
I SEE MYSELF HOLDING ONTO GRUDGES
AS IF THEY WERE SOME KIND OF SAFE GUARD,
OR, BETTER YET,
A DARK PLACE TO HIDE,
AS LONG AS IT'S ONLY LOCKED FROM THE INSIDE
(ANOTHER SORE SUBJECT).
I REMEMBER VIVIDLY
WHEN WE LIVED TOGETHER
(WILL I EVER LEARN FROM MY MISTAKES?)
YOU BLAMED ME
VERY NASTILY
FOR SOMETHING I HAD NO IDEA HAD HAPPENED
LET ALONE DONE MYSELF.
YET YOU SLAPPED ME SO HARD,
BLOOD DRIPPED DOWN MY NECK
AND MY FACE.
YET, YOU HAD THE
AUDACITY
TO BLAME ME FOR THAT,
TOO.
THERE, I'VE SAID IT TO THE WORLD,
SO NOW I KNOW I MUST FORGIVE YOU,
BECAUSE I'VE STUDIED THE WORD
AS A MATURE CHRISTIAN
CRAVING MEAT
(METAPHORICALLY)
SHOULD.



SHOOTING STAR (COMPLETELY REVISED)

WHEN PHYSICALLY ABLE,

I LOVE TO LYE OUTSIDE
LATE AT NIGHT
AND GAZE UP INTO THE HEAVENS,
HOPING TO SEE
THE BEAUTY
OF A SHOOTING STAR.
SOMEHOW I JUST SEEM TO FEEL CLOSER
TO OUR LORD AND SAVIOR OUTSIDE,
ALWAYS HAVE.
MUST BE SOMETHING ABOUT COMING FROM
SUCH AN ABUSIVE IN EVERY WAY
FAMILY.
(I'M NOT SAYING THAT SO YOU WILL FEEL SORRY FOR ME.  I'M SAVED, SO EVERY THING'S OKAY.)
HOW CAN ANYONE, I THINK,
NOT BELIEVE IN JESUS
IF THEY EVEN EVER JUST SAW A SLIVER OF THIS.
I LOVE, ALSO, TO THINK OF MY HOWEVER MANY GREATS GRANDMA BETTY
(SHE WROTE POEMS, TOO.)
GAZING DOWN AT ME
AND TELLING ME HOW PROUD SHE IS
OF WHAT I'VE DONE WITH MY POETRY,
EXCEPT MAYBE A LITTLE UPSET
THAT I HAD PUBLISHED ONE OF HER POEMS.
(CAN WE GET UPSET IN HEAVEN?)
IT'S SO NICE TO KNOW,
TO FEEL VERIFIED
THAT I WAS MADE
SO SENSITIVE,
EVEN THOUGH
BOTH
MY SISTER AND MOTHER 
WOULD MOST LIKELY CALL IT A CURSE.
OUCH! 
WAIT.  THAT DOESN'T HURT ANY LONGER,
PRAISE THE GOOD LORD.
GOD MADE ME FOR A PURPOSE,
WHICH IS TO SHOUT OUT
FROM THE ROOFTOPS
HIS MAJESTY.
AND NOT THAT I THINK I'M THIS GREAT WRITER.
BUT I KNOW THAT I DO NOT HAVE TO BE ASHAMED
ANY LONGER.
GOD DOES NOT MAKE MISTAKES.

(WHOOPS! DID YOU SEE THAT?  WE ALMOST MISSED THAT SHOOTING STAR - OR, AS I LIKE TO THINK, GOD JUST WINKED AT ME.

ROMANS 10:11

EVERYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.

AMEN
AND
AMEN AGAIN

PAIN (REVISED)

KNOW THE PAIN,

HE DID.

HE HUNG ON THE CROSS,

RAILROAD TIES-SIZED NAILS

PIERCED THROUGH HIS HANDS AND HIS FEET.

BLED

FOR ALL THE LOST.

SACRIFICED.

COUNTED THE COST.

FEEL THE HEARTBREAK,

HE DOES,

FOR THE LOST,

AND FOR HIS SHEEP

THAT ARE HURTING

OR HAVE BEEN HURT

BY THE UNCARING.

LET JESUS IN,

I DID

WHEN I WAS JUST FIVE

DESPITE, OR MAYBE BECAUSE OF,

ALL THE ABUSE.

DON'T USE THE WAY YOU WERE RAISED

AS AN EXCUSE.

GOD LOVES US ALL.

JESUS, GOD'S SON,

IS THE ONLY TICKET

TO HEAVEN.

CRYING (COMPLETELY REVISED - EVEN THE NAME)

I CAN'T SEEM TO SEE

WHAT'S RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME
FOR I CAN'T QUITE GET
THESE TEARS
TO STOP FLOWING.
WHY DO YOU REFUSE
TO ADMIT
THE YEARS AND YEARS OF ABUSE?
YOU WERE THERE,
I SAW YOU.
IN FACT,
YOU WERE A PART OF IT,
ONLY, OF COURSE,
WHEN NO ONE WAS LOOKING.
I'M SO VERY TIRED, LORD,
OF ALL THE DENIAL.
YOU SEE MY PIERCED HEART,
YOU SEE THROUGH THE PAIN.
CAN MY RACE JUST PLEASE BE OVER?
OR IS THIS WALKING ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW QUITE NOT YET
FINISHED?
ARE THERE OTHERS TO REACH,
TO LET THEM KNOW
HOW VERY MUCH THEY ARE LOVED
AND HAVE NEVER
AND WILL NEVER
BE ALONE?
THEN IF I CAN HELP
JUST ONE OTHER
LOST LAMB,
OR EVEN PLANT A SEED
WITH THIS POETRY,
THIS ALL WILL HAVE BEEN WORTH IT.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN A HOSPITAL IN A BED

ONCE UPON A TIME

IN A VERY BIG HOSPITAL
IN A RATHER SHORT BED,
A WOMAN ASKS HER LORD'S
UNCEASING FORGIVENESS
FOR WHAT SHE HAD DONE.
YOU SEE,
SHE HAD TAKEN A TESTIMONIAL OPPORTUNITY
TO MAKE
ONE OF HER PRECIOUS NURSES
SAD.
THIS NURSE
WAS HURTING,
BUT ON THE INSIDE,
WHERE MOST PEOPLE KEEP IT.
BUT,
UNFORTUNATELY,
THIS WOMAN
IN THIS RATHER SHORT HOSPITAL BED
WAS HURTING
ON THE OUTSIDE
FOR ABOUT THE 100TH TIME
THAT MONTH.
BUT NOW THAT WOMAN
IN THAT RATHER SHORT HOSPITAL BED
HAS,
HOPEFULLY,
LEARNED HER LESSON.
AND THAT IS TO TESTIFY
NO MATTER THE CIRCUMSTANCE
BECAUSE JESUS DOESN'T LIKE IT
WHEN HIS PEOPLE MAKE
OTHER PEOPLE
CRY.

MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN

MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN,

ALTHOUGH MOST,

EVEN CHRISTIANS, WILL BE ADAMANT THEY DON'T.

AND THIS STORY I'M ABOUT TO TELL YOU

WILL HAVE YOU WONDERING

WHY I BELIEVE

THIS THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME

WAS IN REALITY

A MIRACLE.

 

 

I'M NOT QUITE SURE I AM DOING SUCH,
CONTINUING IN THIS VERY SAME SHY VEIN,

SO IF YOU DON'T MIND,

I'LL BE A LITTLE REDUNDANT HERE,

AND TELL YOU THAT I'VE HAD TWO ACCIDENTS

TO PLACE ME IN THE POSITION

I FOUND MYSELF IN WHICH TO BE,

NEVER BEING TOO SCARED OR RELUCANT TO ADD
(WE ALL MUST BE READY TO TELL THE TRUTH EVENTUALLY, IF JUST FOR OUR OWN SANITY)

ALL OF THE MANY SCARS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED

BY MY OWN FAMILY.

ALTHOUGH, I'M SURE IF YOU WERE TO ASK THEM,

THEY WILL EITHER SAY THAT'S ALL MALARKY,

OR DENY EVERYTHING I'M ABOUT TO SNEAK OUT OF THE CLOSET

UNTIL THEIR LAST BREATH.

 

OKAY, SO WHERE WAS I?

 

OH, YES,

I JUST GOT HOME A FEW HOURS AGO

FROM ONE OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.

I HAD TRIPPED TWICE IN THREE OR FOUR DAYS,

AND, TRUST ME,

ONCE I AM ON THE FLOOR,

THE ONLY THING TO DO

IS TO CALL OUR BRAVE BOYS IN BLUE,

A LITTLE EMBARRISSING,

AS BY NOW THEY KNOW THE NAMES OF MY DOGS.
(ELVIS, MY SWEET CUDDLY DACHSUND,
AND MY BORDER COLLIE MIX, COCO (ONE OF THE MOST SMARTEST BREEDS - SHE ACTUALLY LOVES TO WATCH TV.)

THEY ARE ALWAYS VERY KIND, THOUGH,
(THE BRAVE YOUNG MEN IN BLUE I MEAN,
NOT ELVIS AND COCO)

AND PROS TO THE VERY DEEPEST CORE.

SO THEY DROVE ME TO MY CHOICE OF HOSPITALS,

THE ONE THAT ACCEPTS MEDI-CAL,

AND BY THE WAY,

ONE OF THE BEST IN THE INLAND EMPIRE.

I EVEN HAD MY OWN ROOM, EVENTUALLY.
 

BUT THERE I WAS STUCK IN THE EMERGENCY ROOM,

IN MY OWN BED AND CUBICLE,
THANK THE GOOD LORD,
(BECAUSE, BELIEVE YOU AND ME, I HAVE BEEN IN MUCH WORSE SITUATIONS.)

I WAS STUCK IN THE ER FOR TWO WHOLE NIGHTS AND DAYS.

ONE WOMAN CAME IN SCREAMING,

AT THE VERY TOP OF HER LUNGS,

WITHOUT UTTERING A THING;
JUST SCREAMING,
AND SCREAMING,
AND SCREAMING.

I DID FEEL REALLY BAD FOR HER,

AND PRAYED FOR EVERYONE AROUND ME,
SO AS, QUITE HONESTLY,
TO GET MY OWN MIND OFF OF MY OWN PAIN.

YOU KNOW,
EXCACTLY WHY
DO SO MANY PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES
TREAT MOST OF THE WORKERS IN HOSPITALS LIKE DIRT?
I KNOW YOU'RE IN PAIN,
BUT SHOULDN'T WE BE TREATING OTHERS
THE WAY WE WISH THEM TO TREAT US?

AND ALSO THE MAN IN THE NEXT CUBICLE OVER

SNORED LIKE A WILD BOAR.
NOT THAT I HAVE EVER HEARD A WILD BOAR SNORE.

BUT A WORKER THERE WAS NICE ENOUGH

TO GIVE ME SOME EAR PLUGS AND A BLINDFOLD.

MOST ALL OF THESE WORKERS,

MOST ESPECIALLY THE INTERNS,

ARE ALWAYS VERY EAGER TO LEARN,

AND REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE THE VERY FIRST THING THEY ARE TAUGHT IS TO TREAT THE PATIENT WITH A MODICUM OF EMPATHY.
(I SAY THIS BECAUSE FOR SOME ODD REASON,
THE NURSES ON THE OTHER FLOORS
TREAT THIS EMPATHY THING AS IF IT WAS A CHORE.

 

SO TWO DAYS SLOWLY COME AND GO,

AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT I WAS BEING SENT HOME,

WHEN I WAS TOLD I HAD MISUNDERSTOOD,

AND THEY EXTENDED ME THE COURTESY
OF EXTENDING MY STAY BY A FEW MORE DAYS.

THEY SAID THAT IT WAS FOR PHYSICAL THERAPY,

BUT AFTER BEING VISITED BY SEVERAL SPECIALISTS,

IT FINALLY DAWNED ON ME

(HEY, PARDON ME, BUT I WAS BORN A BLOND),

THAT THEY HAD OTHER PLANS FOR ME.

 

SO TWO STRAPPING YOUNG MEN
A DAY LATER

CAME INTO MY FINALLY PRIVATE HOSPITAL ROOM AT SEPARTE TIMES,

(I COULD HAVE SWORN THEY WERE TWINS),

AND THE STEROTYPE OF ORTHOPEDIC SURGEONS CERTAINLY FIT THEM.

AND THE INTERN WAS A VERY NICE MAN

WHO ACTUALLY RAN OUT OF MY ROOM AND QUICKLY BACK IN

SO HE COULD SET UP MY APPOINTMENT

SO MY TEAM COULD DECIDE THE BEST WAY TO PROCEED WITH MY SITUATION AND ME.

 

NOW, I'M NOT STUPID.

I KNOW THAT I STILL HAVE MAJOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS,

BUT OUR LORD WORKS IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS.

YOU SEE, I'VE BEEN DRAGGING MY HEALS IN THE SAND FOR SEVERAL YEARS

AGAINST EVER HAVING LOW BACK SURGERY.

I WAS A MEDICAL HISTORIAN AT ONE TIME,

WHICH IS THE BEST JOB TO HAVE

IF YOU'RE AS FAST A TYPIST AS I AM.

(I'M NOT ONE TO BRAG,

BUT I CAN TYPE OVER 100 WORDS A MINUTE,

AT LEAST ON AN OLD MANUAL TYPEWRITER),

AND WANT TO OFFICIALLY

BE SNOOPY.
BUT AS A RESULT, I HAD HEARD WAY TOO MANY HORROR STORIES.

 

SO, THERE YOU GO.

NEVER GIVE UP ON OUR LORD.

AFTER ALL,

HE IS THE SAME

YESTERDAY,

TODAY

AND TOMORROW.

HE HAS NEVER CHANGED AND NEVER WILL.

BUT WE SURE HAVE

IF WE HAVE THE GALL

TO QUESTION SUCH A LOVING GOD.