Clear Vision

I'm taking my mom to Chilliwack today for cataract surgery. A month ago, she had her right eye operated on, and today she's having her left eye "fixed." It's an amazing process in which they make an incision, suck out the old natural lens, and then slide in a new vision correcting lens. Today she's still wearing her glasses even though she probably sees better without them since her right eye has perfect vision now. She's used to them and is used to seeing herself only with glasses, so she's kept wearing them.

My mom's right eye even looks different. It has deeper, richer colour now, while her left eye still has a grey film dulling her iris. That should all change by noon today when she walks back into the pre and post-op room after surgery. Both of her eyes will then have the corrective lenses as part of her eyes. I'm pretty sure that my mom will not be wanting to wear her glasses at all after the surgery since they will no longer offer her any benefits.

I've been thinking how life can be quite a bit like this. We have our shortcomings, "personality flaws" as some would term them, wounded hearts, hangups and fears. I know that I've had different ways of coping with or compensating for the weaknesses in my life. Metaphorically speaking, I've "worn prescription glasses" of sorts to make up for the deficiencies in my life so I appear normal or healthy.

However,  I've been on a journey for the past 15 years, discovering and experiencing the transforming power of God in my life to change my heart and mind so I can see life clearly - according to His perfect vision.

I have to admit that the process has been scary, and even unpleasant at first, as I've opened up those vulnerable places to God's healing hand. But I've come to love this process and now it's something that I desire with my whole heart, because I love, Love, LOVE experiencing freedom!

As I was sitting with my mom in the eye centre at Chilliwack hospital, I was watching all the patients being prepared for surgery. Each person had a design drawn above their right eye (it was "right eye" morning) indicating that this was the eye that was to be operated on. They were given a little Ativan tablet under their tongue to calm their nerves, and then they had a few rounds of eye drops administered before they left that room to go into the surgical room. Most patients were subdued and looked very apprehensive. I know my mom was really nervous and was even considering cancelling prior to surgery. I was surprised to observe the remarkable transformation that occurred when each person walked back into the room after surgery. It wasn't the protective lens covering their eye and taped to their face that got my attention, but the fact that EVERY person had a big smile on their face.

Joy. This word pretty much sums up how I feel as I come out of those times with God when I (together with a spiritually mature friend) have specifically addressed issues in my life and asked God to show us what is keeping me from experiencing freedom to see things clearly and live life from His perspective. Unlike eye surgery where there are only two operations, I've been through this process many times, each time addressing yet another area in my life that has been in need of truth and God's healing touch.