Thursday, April 26, 2007

So does this mean I lack the wisdom I had before?

As of Tuesday, April 24th at 10:30ish a.m., I am now four teeth short of wisdom. In other words, I had all four of my wisdom teeth extracted. So all you two-wisdom-teeth people can save your stories - I don't want to hear them (if that doesn't make sense ask Brian Regan.)

I mean, really, why are they called "wisdom teeth?"

I remember when they first started breaking through the surface in college, causing an immense amount of pain and what felt like a monstrous ear infection. Moaning around the dorm and Matt's apartment, I would lament their annoying existence but stubbornly refuse to take ibuprofen. I could tough it out. Meanwhile, Matt was bemoaning MY existence, wondering when I would quit annoying him and take the pain-killers!

At that time, I was far from wise. And, you know what? I still am. I still grumble during the painful times of discipline that lead me to wisdom. I still stubbornly refuse to seek help and try to tough it out on my own. However, I catch glimpses of maturity - though not to my credit but to His. Every once in a while, the groaning seems a bit shorter and the fruit of the spirit push through the surface. Love and patience, joy and peace, kindness and gentleness, goodness and faithfulness, and even a little bit of self-control peek their heads through. He continues to wash me in the water of the word. So gently. So subtly. So patiently. With all wisdom.

4 comments:

Elizabeth said...

ok, so i got my 'wisdom' removed between jr high and high school. i have never understood why they were called wisdom teeth either!! i do understand your struggle though, because i am finding myself there too. i think i see the glimpses of maturity ever so slightly at times. i have no advice except to take the pain killers if you can, and keep on praying for the wisdom of God's discernment. blessings to you all.

Finally an Abrigg..... said...

so this is why i haven't seen you all week. or, maybe it was because you decided to have a "date night" instead of learning about "the trinity." i was bitter for a minute, i'm not going to lie. lauren, please forgive me. :) :)

Nat Pat said...

that ain't nothin! (love brian regan)
p.s. i got the picture thing to work!

David said...

I had all four of mine removed in the ever-so-dramatic high school years. I wore this American Gladiators looking ice pack for fear that my whole face was going to swell up. My wisdom teeth never came in, they had to cut them out because they were crowding my jaw and causing major headaches...so does that mean that I only had a glimpse of the wisdom? That I never even had it to lose? Hmmm. I feel for you!