Yesterday I had a check up with my pulmonologist. He is in charge of taking care of my lungs and takes his job very seriously. I started seeing him 11 years ago after a spontaneous pneumothorax surprised us all. From minute one in his office, after a welcome handshake, we are all about lung business: radiographic results, breathing analysis, medication checklists, exercise regimen, breathing challenges, mucous....well, you get the point. He is always on time. He lives and breathes (no pun intended) lung health. All business. So, it was no surprise when I told him 6 years ago we would be traveling to adopt from China, he told me to come in to see him before we traveled to "that dirty place."
Perspective. It's interesting when we take a look at our lives and see how our perspectives shape so much of who we are.....our interactions, what we put our time and financial resources into, how we see things, places, and people. It shapes our worldview.
From my perspective, going to China will be one of the greatest journeys in my life. It has given birth to and cared for our son who will finally be with us in a little over a week. What gratitude I feel for the country. What thankfulness I have for the Chinese that have clearly cared for him well and gotten my child to his 20th month of life without a needed surgery. This gratitude and thankfulness is so great that it supersedes my fear of language barriers, traveling challenges, safety concerns, money exchanges, adoption proceedings, bonding issues....and yes, environmental concerns. It is a country that right now holds my son and has given me permission to come get him, bring him home, and raise him with all the rights and privileges of a biological child. I do believe I may have to restrain myself from hugging every Asian person in sight when we get off the plane!
I now have a plethora of inhalers, oral medications, and room air deodorizers to get my "lungs" safely to China and back. I am thankful that my doctor has taken such good care of me. But from my perspective, clean air or dirty air, polluted cities or smoky hotel rooms, it doesn't matter. I only have my eye on the prize.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2.
No comments:
Post a Comment