If You Can Speak, You're OK. . .

In the operating room patients having a Cesarean Section sometimes experience the muscles which "feel" breathing become numb from the anesthetic.  This gives the woman the feeling that she is no longer able to breathe sufficiently.  We have learned to tell the patient before hand that this might occur and that to reassure herself, as long as she can speak, she will be breathing OK.

We tend to take our own breath for granted until we are afraid we don't have it, or we think we can't feel it, as is the case with these women.  I was discussing this with my grandchildren the other day.  Since we were beginning the Christmas season, we were quite naturally discussing gifts.  I was telling them how many wonderful gifts the Lord has given to us.  Equating gifts with something wrapped under the tree, I tried to give them an example.

"Did you know even your breath is a gift from God?" I asked them.  My grandson gave me his usual bright eyed, shocked look.  "The Bible tells us that He gives us each breath."  I went on to tell them that the Lord even made it so that we didn't have to think about breathing, it just happened naturally.

"Just think what would happen if you got busy playing and forgot to breathe?" I put much more emphasis on the "forgot to breathe" and immediately I had their attention.  If nothing else, Grannie Frannie can be a great story-teller.

I grasped my neck with both hands as if I was choking, "Oh no," I said in a frantic, pretend voice, "I was so busy, I almost didn't breathe!  I almost died!" Cackles of laughter ensued.  "What if we got sleepy?  How would we ever sleep?  We'd have to wake up every few seconds to breathe!"  I reminded them of just how thoughtful it was of God to make it so we didn't have to think about breathing. 

From a physiological standpoint, it is really neat how the body makes sure that breath continues, as the carbon dioxide levels rise in the body.  Which is why no one can "hold their breath until they die."  I told the children when they were older I'd explain all that to them.  Although, by the time they are ready to understand it, I'm sure I will have forgotten it.

The point is, every gift we have or will ever receive is somehow from the Lord.  Even things we don't realize as gifts, such as our breath, are gifts from Him.


"God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;" (Acts 17:24.)


 Once our sight begins to wane, we realize what a gift that is.  Or our hearing.  Every aspect of these amazing bodies He has created is a gift and each one so unique and special.  When we think we have nothing else to be thankful for, we can just start at the top of our head and go down to our tiniest toe and thank away.  We are "fearfully and wonderfully made" and even our bodies are a great gift.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." James 1:17

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." 2 Corinthians 9:15