Hunger

Hunger:

a feeling of discomfort or weakness caused by lack of food, coupled with the desire to eat. 

Tuck that definition of hunger in your mind for a few moments as your read this blog..

    So I was on an internship where I am now hired and apart of an amazing dental staff. Over the 4 months that I was assigned  at the office I have become so close to every wonderful soul there. This particular day I was mainly working with my "mentor assistant".  Normally as the day goes on anyone's hunger begins to grow stronger and stronger. My mentor assistant and I always complain about how hungry we are. I specially remember saying "It's annoying to be hungry and I can't stand when you really cant satisfy the hunger or the craving you have.Our next patient  arrived shortly after this conversation ended ,and I go ahead and seat him. I normally begin to talk with my patients, distract them, and find out more about their day. I do these things because I love hearing about others lives in the few minutes I have them in my chair and lets face it... who loves to be at the dentist? So I ask my patient how he's doing being the bubbly DA that I am. Also DA means dental assistant! He replies" ya know I'm doing better.. Just step by step. I go back go to the Dr. next week.Unsure of what he was talking about I just brushed it off , and said "oh okay well that is great"! This was in my very EARLY stages of interning. I didn't really even know the computer system yet. I was strictly observing so I could not access his chart to even have any idea of what he was referring to.
     My mentor walks in we evaluate/set up and wait on the Dr. My mentor strikes up a conversation and says  "are you feeling okay today and he's saying I'm fortunate to have another day" . Might I add.. This older man was  SOO loving and had the most POSITIVE OUTLOOK on life I had ever experienced in a person. The patient says  " I go back next week to see if the cancer is spreading". He begins to describe this evil thing called cancer that has taken over the world and this evil has chosen its next victim. The Chemo, the shots, the test, the late nights, the early mornings and how supportive his wife is through this all. This man who has been through more than I can imagine says " The best thing about cancer so far is that is has actually "SAVED ME". The thoughts running through my head are faster that I can process. "SAVED YOU?" I begin to say to myself... This evil that has taken over your body has SAVED YOU? Our patient says with water filling up his eyes and passion rolling off of his tongue.. "This cancer has SAVED ME.. Saved me from the man I was and I now know the Lord because of it.  My mentor and I  looked at each other and the water works just flowed.. It was amazing... He was the most pleasant and positive outlook so in love with his dear wife of 40+ years and so happy... Yet he has deep stage Pancreatic cancer that is in operable..  This man doesn't know if he is going to wake up tomorrow! He tells us how he's lost 60ish lbs from Chemo and it took away his hunger. His loving wife will say are you hungry? And he just replies i don't know.. I can't taste anything anymore and I never know if I'm hungry. I don't have the craving or desire anymore to eat.
After the procedure ended we walked him out.. I turned to my mentor and said WOW what an amazing man.. Less than an hour ago I was complaining about hunger. Complaining about being hungry, when in reality  it is a PRIVILEGE to be hungry. Something as simple as hunger can quickly be taken away and turn our life upside down in a heart beat. Here is a man who had no idea he had this evil disease creeping through his bloodstream but now might not live the rest of this year. He  has more of a positive outlook on life than the average person.  No one truly ever knows if they will wake up tomorrow. There is often a question asked "Why Bad things happen to Good people"? I don't have the answer to that question, but I will share with you what I think. This man did not know the Lord before his cancer and this battle he is facing. What this man is going through is nothing what he would have went through if he did not accept the Lord before his death. It took a terrible incident to bring good. So maybe look at it as the Good thing that came out of a bad situation instead of a bad thing happening to a good person. This is a temporary life where we are not promised tomorrow yet our society focuses more on temporary things and materialistic items that last days, months and years rather than forever. This world is more focused on catching a Pokemon than focusing on what really matters! Well my friends.. GOD IS FOREVER! Today, Tomorrow and everyday. Why focus on having the best car, new MK pocket book, best job to make the most money when none of that even matters. So think about that next time when we get caught up in Temporary items when we have the most incredible everlasting gift of all...which is eternal life with Jesus.


God owes us nothing yet gives us everything we could ever need...
May we never loose our Hunger, But CRAVE spiritual hunger for the Lord!

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6.
*Source is from Pinterest- Desiring God saved to Quotes & Verses

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Matthew 5:6. Designed by Jonathan Ogden. 

-Ruffles with a Purpose