dental
This adventure happened a short time back – seems like yesterday. My day began like most of the others in the past – by waking up. This traumatic occasion happened earlier than usual today inasmuch as I had a dental appointment for a cleaning and checkup. My usual cereal and hot tea was consumed with medium to large gusto – this accompanied by my daily Bible reading. The next morning ritual was the checking of the email and disappointedly I found naught but one of a commercial nature.
Then on to the bathroom to thoroughly brush and floss my teeth, I would not want them to have to clean dirty teeth. This reminds of one cleaning their house so it won’t be dirty for the cleaning person – when one can afford such luxuries - I will name no names.
My journey to the dentist office was by the back way, a shortcut I discovered during my long tenure with Bellsouth. It enabled me to miss most of the morning work traffic and is only known by a few thousand people – or so. Though this visit was a regularly scheduled one, I knew it was not going to be good. This was because a week or so before – in Tennessee – while eating terribly healthy whole grain cereal, my first bicuspid on the upper right had suddenly become a “uni-cuspid”, due to the whole front half shearing off.
With the cleaning and checkup complete and the broken tooth so noted, a later appointment was made to deal with this time consuming problem. Collecting my pro bono toothbrush and floss, with a flower thrown in to boot, I was on my way to complete several errands of the morning.
My first stop was the bank, then to the post office for the mail. Stopping back at the truck to leave the mail and pick up my cell phone, I noted that I had missed a call. Not knowing how to check who this mystery caller was – my career was not with cell phones - I called my loving wife and was informed that not only was it her but that the dentist had called to inform that they had a schedule change and could I come back at 10am. I told her to tell them yes and I shifted into a higher gear to get my other tasks completed.
Next I went to Bi-Lo to pick up our bale of carrots – 25lbs (that’s a long story) – then on to Hardee’s to get my favorite wife a gravy biscuit. But this was not to be just the regular menu item, this was to be an open-faced gravy biscuit to go – with the gravy already on the split open biscuit. Fixed this way so the succulent sausage flavored semi-liquid would seep slowly into every flaky crevice of this famous morning bread as I made my way home.
After hand delivering this culinary delight into the presence of my lovely spouse and freeing my truck from the mail and the weight of the carrot bale, I was on my way again with just enough time to get back to the office of my favorite tooth repairer. After waiting a bit I realized that they were “working me in” due to my dentist’s concern about the broken tooth. But no matter, I was retired with nothing particularly planned for this day anyway.
I was called back, seated and a short while later “numbed up”, since there was to be some deep grinding going on. This was done in steps between other patient’s procedures and gradually everything started to take shape. It had been predetermined that I was to need a crown, and they have on site crown making equipment that is amazing. You may already know this, but they first make a picture of the old tooth, then grind off all the bad stuff, in this case leaving a section of the back of the tooth. Then make another picture on their computer of the stub and build a crown on screen to place there. After forming it on screen just the way they want, this image is sent to the back by radio and the shaper machine makes the crown out of a ceramic block to fit my stub.
This process took a bit of time but had the advantage of an on site redo if it wasn’t right. When completed, it was adjusted to fit exactly, cemented in, polished and I was on my way – with another flower, of course.
Our world is in need of a spiritual dentist since there is so much truth decay in evidence. We in fact have one by the name of Jesus and He will take out our rottenness and fill the empty place with his love and forgiveness, all we have to do is ask. ec
Then on to the bathroom to thoroughly brush and floss my teeth, I would not want them to have to clean dirty teeth. This reminds of one cleaning their house so it won’t be dirty for the cleaning person – when one can afford such luxuries - I will name no names.
My journey to the dentist office was by the back way, a shortcut I discovered during my long tenure with Bellsouth. It enabled me to miss most of the morning work traffic and is only known by a few thousand people – or so. Though this visit was a regularly scheduled one, I knew it was not going to be good. This was because a week or so before – in Tennessee – while eating terribly healthy whole grain cereal, my first bicuspid on the upper right had suddenly become a “uni-cuspid”, due to the whole front half shearing off.
With the cleaning and checkup complete and the broken tooth so noted, a later appointment was made to deal with this time consuming problem. Collecting my pro bono toothbrush and floss, with a flower thrown in to boot, I was on my way to complete several errands of the morning.
My first stop was the bank, then to the post office for the mail. Stopping back at the truck to leave the mail and pick up my cell phone, I noted that I had missed a call. Not knowing how to check who this mystery caller was – my career was not with cell phones - I called my loving wife and was informed that not only was it her but that the dentist had called to inform that they had a schedule change and could I come back at 10am. I told her to tell them yes and I shifted into a higher gear to get my other tasks completed.
Next I went to Bi-Lo to pick up our bale of carrots – 25lbs (that’s a long story) – then on to Hardee’s to get my favorite wife a gravy biscuit. But this was not to be just the regular menu item, this was to be an open-faced gravy biscuit to go – with the gravy already on the split open biscuit. Fixed this way so the succulent sausage flavored semi-liquid would seep slowly into every flaky crevice of this famous morning bread as I made my way home.
After hand delivering this culinary delight into the presence of my lovely spouse and freeing my truck from the mail and the weight of the carrot bale, I was on my way again with just enough time to get back to the office of my favorite tooth repairer. After waiting a bit I realized that they were “working me in” due to my dentist’s concern about the broken tooth. But no matter, I was retired with nothing particularly planned for this day anyway.
I was called back, seated and a short while later “numbed up”, since there was to be some deep grinding going on. This was done in steps between other patient’s procedures and gradually everything started to take shape. It had been predetermined that I was to need a crown, and they have on site crown making equipment that is amazing. You may already know this, but they first make a picture of the old tooth, then grind off all the bad stuff, in this case leaving a section of the back of the tooth. Then make another picture on their computer of the stub and build a crown on screen to place there. After forming it on screen just the way they want, this image is sent to the back by radio and the shaper machine makes the crown out of a ceramic block to fit my stub.
This process took a bit of time but had the advantage of an on site redo if it wasn’t right. When completed, it was adjusted to fit exactly, cemented in, polished and I was on my way – with another flower, of course.
Our world is in need of a spiritual dentist since there is so much truth decay in evidence. We in fact have one by the name of Jesus and He will take out our rottenness and fill the empty place with his love and forgiveness, all we have to do is ask. ec
posted by mreddie | 7:49 AM
8 Comments:
Maybe you're like me. I have had so much dental work that I am reminded of the old hymn: Crown Him With Many Crowns.
AC - Good analogy. :) That hymn title is so me. ec
Just a phonecall to your wife:
"I'll Be Home Someday"
I was standing by the bedside of a neighbor
Who was just about to cross the swelling tide
I asked if she would do me a favor
Just take a message to the other side
If you see my savior tell Him that you saw me
When you saw me I was on my way
You may meet some old friends who may ask about me
Just tell them I'll be home some day
Now you'll have to take this journey on without me
It's a debt that soon or later must be paid
If you see my savior don't forget to tell Him
Don't forget to tell him what I say
You may chance to see my father or my mother
Or some friends who have gone before
You may chance to see my sister or my brother
But try to see my savior first of all
Wow, this is awesome. When I first started reading, I'm thinking only of the fact that I only floss when a) something really big is stuck between my teeth and b) the morning before a dentist appointment. Then when you started talking about our "spiritual dentist" I had to wonder if I'm doing the same thing. And you made me remember that I should be flossing every day. Physically and spiritually.
bonita - Thanks for the verses, good message there. The first one I will be looking for will be Jesus as well.
ivy - Spiritual flossing is a good thing - clean up all we can and let Jesus do the rest that we can't reach. Thanks for the visit and the comment. ec
I like your last paragraph. That is very well-put.
republic - Thanks for those kind words. ec
har har har anvil!!!
“uni-cuspid” cracked me up!
You so remind me of Joyce (whose blog is Rejoyce- a link on my sidebar) in that you write beautifully about mundane tasks and events of your life, and then tie them all up together with teachings and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
You rock, my brother!
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