Sunday's Random Reflections...

As I indicated in my last post, my Dad will be having Open Heart Surgery on Monday. My brother came in from Texas and we will all be there during the surgery. Since the kids cannot go on Monday, my family all went up yesterday to see him.

I must say, they don't make hospitals like they used to!! This area (the heart center) is brand new. His room is huge. There is a monitor on a swing arm by his bed. On that monitor is the phone, the Internet, the TV, and the Remotes to run them all. He came out to the lobby to visit everyone (there's just too many of us for even a large room). He didn't have to push a monitor. The heart monitor is small and clips to his waistband.

Although they will do quite a few bypasses (4 - 6), it sounds like the doctor is confident that this will be relatively routine. As he said, "I'll have the equivalent of a brand new heart." That's a good thing. The doctor says (if he cooperates) that he can drive in two weeks and play golf in six. Now, I'd say that's progress. When my Grandparents each had their surgery, I KNOW they weren't doing stuff that quick.

I was thinking about that "brand new heart" thing on my way home last night. Isn't it true that if WE want a brand new heart (new attitudes, feelings, and ways of thinking) that we need to do about the same thing as a heart patient?

Dad is spending the weekend in the hospital so they can clean out his lungs. This means no smoking, no sodium, etc. If we're going to have new hearts, we too must "clean out" the junk that is there in preparation.

After the surgery, of course, there will have to be lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, etc.). The same is true for the non-surgical brand new heart, isn't it? We have to change our thinking, look through new eyes, and exercise love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control.

Keep praying for my Dad. But also, I'm hoping that for those of us who need a "change of heart" we'll ask for and receive one. It could transform our world!