Be Careful What You Put in Your Ear
May 30, 2023
On Sunday
This Sunday afternoon, my boys were playing out in the yard and enjoying nature. While doing so they decided they wanted to pretend they had ear buds. So, they found some flower buds that had yet to bloom and put them in their ears.
However, one of the flower buds did not come out of Jed's ear.
Kristine woke me up from my post preaching coma and asked who was taking Jed to Urgent Care. I volunteered and tried to keep my laughter to a minimum, remembering that I had once swallowed a quarter that was meant for the offering plate in children's church.
So, Jed and I went to Urgent Care where the doctor tried to get it out with medical pliers, then he numbed the area, then he tried to force it out by injecting water behind the bud, and then he tried the pliers again with no success.
He informed us that the ER and Ear Nose and Throat doctor would have equipment he didn't have and sent us off to the Emergency Room.
At the ER, a physician's assistant checked to see if she could get the bud out with a tiny scooping tool. However, her attempts were unsuccessful, and she informed us that due to the bud's proximity to the ear drum we should see an ENT to avoid any risks of perforating the ear drum.
That was Sunday and the next day was Memorial Day, so we weren't going to be able to see an ENT until Tuesday.
For the most part, Jed has been experiencing little to no pain as a result of the flower bud lodged in his ear, but we would still like to get the foreign body out of his ear.
This morning I took Jed into the ENT and they saw him right away. They checked out his ear and took us to the procedure room to get it out. Unfortunately, the attempt caused more pain than the doctor was willing for Jed to endure.
Now, we have scheduled a procedure at the hospital for the doctor to take the flower bud out of his ear while he is under anesthesia this Friday.
Through all of this I have been proud of how Jed has handled the situation. He has been brave and done a good job communicating with us and the doctors.
Our Ears
As I was driving away from the ENT this morning, I thought about the powerful object lesson this has created.
While Jed put something physically in his ear, we put things in our ears every day. Some of the things we put in our ears are good like Scripture, encouraging words, and powerful challenges.
However, there are a lot of things that we put into our ears that, like a flower bud, are not helpful like negative self-talk, negative people in our family and community, and the news.
When I cut the majority of the news out of my life (conservative, liberal, and supposedly balanced), my life got better. I wasn't putting anger, fear, and bitterness into my ears.
I realized that by focusing my mind and attention to God, my family, and my God-given purpose I have been able to make a greater impact than trying to be up to date with the latest from the news.
Most of the time we don't even realize the negative impact voices have on our lives until we stop giving them access to our ears.
The Extraction and Healing
I would be neglectful to Jed if I told Him to stop putting things in his ears but left the flower bud in his ear. The continued presence of a foreign object could cause problems down the line even though he isn't currently in pain.
The same is true for you and me. We may not feel the negative or lasting impact of what we listen to, but we are still impacted.
I was recently on call with an entrepreneur who had stopped recording her podcasts because someone had made a flippant comment about how much she talks and the potential impact that could have on a podcast from that person's perspective. It was not constructive criticism. It was simply flippant criticism. It was more than a month after the statement was made when she began to realize the effect of listening to that voice.
What lies and negativity do you need to surgically extract from your ear so that you can stop paying the price for them?
Sometimes, we only need to confront lies and negativity. At other times, we need to take action to remove those lies from our life by actively replacing them with truth. And occasionally we need to remove the people who are consistently spreading negativity, doubt, and lies in our lives.
Surround yourself with people who light up when they see you and cheer you on toward your dreams to the point it feels silly.
Finally, make sure that you are the kind of friend that is an encouragement to those God has placed in your sphere of influence.
Don't forget to be careful what you put in your ear and what you put into the ears of others.
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