February 14th, 2022
Parable of the Broken Tooth
This week was pretty
usual as far as temple work goes but we've had some unusual things with our
bodies going on.
Dave's foot swelled up
and it was painful to walk on so he went to the doctor and was told it could
possibly be the virus he had a couple weeks ago settling in his joint and it
would need to work itself out. He got some compression sox which made him feel
old but they really help with the swelling.
The tooth that broke on
Jan. 24th and I was keeping the piece in until I could get Mark to fix it in
Co. stopped cooperating and I have an appointment to get it crowned next week.
This wouldn't be noteworthy except for the things I learned from it. I mean,
really who cares about a broken tooth.....
Parable of the Broken
Tooth
January 24th a few weeks ago, I was eating
something and discovered that I had broken my tooth. It had snapped clean off
at the gum line in one solid piece. I knew it would need a full crown to fix it
but being on a mission I didn’t want to go to a dentist I didn’t know for
something as long lasting as a crown. I was hoping I could just get some kind
of temporary fix to last me until we could get to Colorado when the temple
closed in 4 months where my son in law, a dentist could do the work. The tooth
was slightly visible when I smiled but didn’t hurt and was on the top, so it
wasn’t rough to my tongue.
I was able to get
in to see a local dentist that day just for a quick exam, x ray and treatment
plan. Since it didn’t hurt, a root canal was not required, and she offered to
place pins and build it up to get me by until I could get to Colorado. She
stressed that she could not guarantee it would last. I thanked her and we made
an appointment for the buildup the following week.
Just for giggles,
I tried to put the broken tooth back in place to see if it would stay knowing I
would have to gentle with it either way and my real tooth would look and feel
so much better, and I wouldn’t have to pay $400 for a temporary fix. Amazingly,
it went back into place and stayed! I thought, I could have a mission miracle
happening here, and in faith, I canceled the dentist appointment. I was amazed
at this little tooth!
After two weeks
of amazingness, the little piece was not staying in as well and I would remove
it to eat and then put it back in and on Feb. 8th the day of
the canceled appointment, as I was brushing my teeth to go to bed it fell off
in the sink and before I could get it, went down the drain. Dave was kind
enough to undo the drain and retrieve it for me. I cleaned it up and stuck it
back in. A few days later I had a thought that it may come off in my sleep and
I should leave it out, but I didn’t, and I woke up to it gone having most
likely swallowed it. I now have an appointment on Feb. 23rd to
have it repaired.
One perspective:
Even though there
was no obvious evidence of a problem with my tooth, I knew it was broken,
fragile and vulnerable but I had asked it to stay in its place for just a while
longer, to just show up, just to BE.
And because I
knew it was broken and fragile and vulnerable, I didn’t put any stress on it, I
didn’t require or expect it to chomp down on carrots or chew hard or sticky
things. In fact, I was so aware and careful with it that I rarely chewed on
that side at all. I tried to keep it clean and free of debris by gently
brushing it. I was so grateful that it would do its little part of staying in
place, of being still. Knowing that one day it wouldn’t be broken and fragile
anymore. It would be strong and restored and would again be chomping and chewing
to beat the band.
Aren’t we all
like this tooth at times? Aren’t we all broken, fragile and vulnerable multiple
times in our lives? I was giving my tooth grace and mercy because I knew what
it was going through. I ministered to it by being gentle and keeping it clean.
I was totally aware almost at all times how I treated this tooth because I knew
if I chewed on anything that was too much the tooth would give way.
Our Savior is this
way with us. He gives us grace, mercy, gentleness, and He is constantly aware
of us, especially when we are broken, fragile and vulnerable. I believe that’s
how He wants us to be with each other and with ourselves. He is the great
Healer and one day all of our brokenness will be restored through His
atonement, and we will be strong, bright, and beautiful and be able to live an
existence of unimaginable glory.
Another perspective:
With a broken
tooth I was limited to what I could eat and had to constantly be aware of how I
ate and couldn’t relax and enjoy my meals because I would be afraid the broken
piece would come off at any time. I was trying to see how long I could keep my
tooth holding on, I was making excuses as to why I didn't want to get it fixed
when I realized I was suffering needlessly. I needed to decide to stop the
madness even to the extent of removing pipes. Stop
the craziness of allowing it to be broken and get it fixed. Finally,
I swallowed it (I wasn't going to go there!) and the choice was made for me. I
needed to go to the dentist.
Our teeth can be
like our lives. We may have some brokenness in our behaviors, weaknesses, temptations,
and sins that are reoccurring and persistent in our lives, and we try to appear
normal, making excuses while trying to keep it together but in reality, we have
no peace, we can’t enjoy our life to the fullest until we swallow our pride and
decide to get things repaired or fixed. We just need to stop the madness of
living with it, allowing what we can change to continue and suffering
needlessly and repent. All brokenness is healed through our Savior by our
humility and repentance.
It was warm enough this week to take a walk so
when Dave was elevating his foot, I walked around our neighborhood and ended
down by the Nauvoo House and Redbrick Store both owned by the Community of
Christ Church. They have not been opened since March of 2020 and it isn't known
if they will be open later. I felt very reverent as I walked the streets that
Joseph and Emma had surely walked and wished that we would someday own these
properties so all could enjoy them on a regular basis.
I joined a group of
temple missionaries and played pickle ball with them for the second time in my
life. It was great fun! Dave wasn't able to join because of his ankle but
hopefully next time he will.
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