WARNING: This post contains mild gore.

Tonight I sliced my finger pretty good while chopping bell peppers for dinner.

I FaceTimed my RN mom to get her opinion on whether it might need stitches or other urgent care. She very quickly offered to just head down to my house (15 minute drive) and check it out in person, real quick. "I'll leave right now!"

I felt reassured to know she was coming...and unnerved to see how speedily she felt to do so. If you have a nurse mom, you know: it's gotta be fairly bad before we head to the doctor 'round here. She texted her doctor friend on her way down. 

When she arrived, she snapped a pic for the doctor friend and cleaned up as if for surgery. I think that was more COVID-related than anything else, but still...it wasn't looking promising. She took a little peek and asked if I'd let her move it around a bit. Everyone else in the room looked away.

But good news! It didn't wanna move much, if at all. My finger was--for the most part--still just one chunk of flesh (as opposed to two). My nail had done its bone-y job and protected my fleshy thumb. Doctor friend agreed. No stitches for this girl!

Wanna see a pic? It's a little gross but not that bad.

I've already spoken of discomfort and Jesus and his infinite understanding of it on here this week, but I'll just say that I'm going through that same repetitive thought process again tonight. As a reminder, it goes like this: My finger hurts, poor me! Oh wait, Jesus knows this exact pain. Jesus knows far worse pain. This can't be that bad. I'm so glad to know about Jesus. (...5 minutes pass...) Ouch, my finger hurts, poor me! Rinse and repeat.

Seeing as it is now Easter Sunday, I choose to add a different mantra to this cycle. While "this can't be that bad" helped me to remember Christ's suffering on Good Friday, it isn't a particularly productive way of embracing the end result of that suffering. Christ's end game was not simply to know suffering, but to overcome suffering. He understands my pain--for which I am grateful!--but he loves to heal it as well.

So when I suddenly feel my finger again?

My finger hurts, poor me!

But Jesus knows this exact pain.

Jesus knows all pain.

Jesus heals all pain.

I am so, so glad to know about Jesus.