Favorite Scripture

There has been a new type of email going around where you are to write out your favorite scripture and send it to the next person on the list. I found myself resisting the desire to join the group. 

Actually, I'm not usually one to zero in on a single item--color, style, scripture--as my most favorite. I like variety and having to end up with only one of anything is just not me. Therefore, to just say, "This is my favorite scripture" leaves out so much of an interesting process. So, in case you are interested, I will now tell the "story" of my favorite scripture.

How people choose their "favorite" of anything is often guided by what appeals to the senses, i.e. to the eye, like a color or architecture, or to the ear, like a song. It's a personal preference. I think some Christians choose their favorite scripture in the same way. Verses that express great truths about our faith are always favorites, i.e. John 3:16 or Romans 6:28. I can understand that. In fact, that is the way I started to choose mine. However, there is a different story here.

My youngest daughter is making graphic design wall drawings to sell in her Etsy store. She wanted to make me a custom drawing for Christmas so she asked for my "favorite" scripture. I couldn't make up mind--which wasn't new for me--and it got down to the wire for her to get it done. I thought of Revelation 3:20, "Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I'll come right in and sit down to supper with you." It is a very solid scripture of Christianity and I understand the concept at a core level.

In a moment of distraction I just told Kaiti to use Revelation 3:21. I didn't realize that I misspoke until later when I opened her gift and read it. What a surprise I had! The drawing read, "He who overcomes I will grant to him to sit down with Me on my throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." I thought that it was a good verse and didn't mind having it on my wall. What I didn't realize was how important that scripture would become to me personally and on a day-to-day basis.

Last Christmas I had just gone to my primary doctor the week before and had a lung x-ray. We were waiting on the results when we got back home. Although I was having episodes of not getting complete sanguination (that's what they call it when you take a deep breath and feel it way down). I call it "satisfaction" because it is a satisfying deep breath. I had been having difficulty getting a breath to be satisfying for 2-3 months and it had become severe enough that I finally went to the doctor. It took another 2 weeks to get a diagnosis of asthma--and cancer.

The x-ray of my lung found a dark spot in my upper right lung AND, because the technician went a little lower than was necessary, a dark spot was detected in my left kidney. (Just in case you're interested, I don't believe that technician made a mistake.) There were several other tests and a couple more scans that confirmed that I did have asthma and (probably) cancer. (Of course, until we got the pathology tests back after my surgeries, the cancer was not confirmed.) I am so thankful to my primary doctor for his persistence to determine what was restricting my breathing. I truly think he was a gift from God.

Approximately 1 month later I was having surgery to remove the tumor from the top lobe of my right lung. As a quick explanation, the right lung has 3 lobes and the left has 2 lobes. Therefore, the removal of one effects the person's breathing but does not keep her from recovering to near-pre-surgery condition. 

My lung surgeon is an outstanding former-military doctor who I am so thankful for also. He told me the surgery would be laperscopic unless the lab said it was cancer for sure. When the lab test came back positive, Dr. Harr decided it was necessary to remove the top lobe to be sure all tissue that might have been invaded by the cancer cells was removed. When he separated the top lobe from the second, there appeared to be webbing that connected them. So, the webbing was cut and, unfortunately, so was an artery located inside. Dr. Harr's  comment to Dave afterward was, "I don't know why the good Lord gave her an artery there!" 

In emergency mode Dr. Harr made a 9" L-shaped  incision in my back from the mid point of my shoulder, down and under the shoulder blade to under my right arm. Lots of muscles were cut and my ribs were moved so the team could get to the cut artery as quickly as possible. I lost 3 pints of blood during the surgery.

I was in the hospital for 7 days, went home for 5 days and returned to the hospital with anemia. My second visit lasted 6 days receiving another 3 pints of blood, contracting pneumonia in my good lung and receiving massive dosages of antibiotics. Since that second admission, I have taken 9 months to recover and regained approximately 75% of my former strength.. I' went through pulmonary rehab for 10 weeks which helped me immensely. I also found a massage therapist who has helped me also.

During my early recovery, I would glance at and read the drawing Kaiti gave me many times. I received such strength and peace from that scripture that it means more to me than I can express in words. That is why Rev. 3:21 is my FAVORITE scripture; it ministers to me where I am in my life, right now. Do you have a favorite scripture? What does it mean to you?

LADYING FOR OCTOBER 22, 2012:  "A favorite scripture should hold deep significance for you. Be sure you can give what and why."