Dem Bones

I ache all over. Not because I have done anything strenuous....just because my cells are accumulating the toxic wastes of years of living. My telomeres are getting shorter, and thus no longer protecting the ends of my delicate chromosomes. When that happens, my cells undergo apoptosis..... which means they are perishing. And when they perish, well, the fat lady starts singing and the theater lights blink on.... the show is over.

I am not feeling depressed, but for some reason the message of "old bones" has been slammed at me from every angle. First, I was doing my bible study yesterday and happened to be on the passage in Exekiel that talks about the dried bones of the Israelites scattered in the desert. God breathes life into them and they all rise and start dancing. This is the genesis of that old song "Dem Bones, Dem Bones, Dem Dried Bones".

So with the image of dried bones withering in the desert sun, and then coalescing into an army of resurrected bones, I headed to shower after exercising. My own bones were feeling sore, and my feet hurt. That's when I noticed the bone density report that my doctor had sent for some reason this week, though the test was months ago. Arvo had put it on my dresser. "Abnormal" was checked. I know I have some bone loss, but thus far they are just watching to see how quickly my bones turn into mush. Why she needed to remind me over the holiday season is beyond me.

And then this morning, as I settled down to write my blog, not sure as always what to write about, I read the little daily Bible verse on my computer. You will never guess what it was:

They say, "Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off
completely." Therefore prophesy, and say to them, "Thus says the Lord
God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves,
O my people." Ezekiel 37:11-12

Again! Old bones!  But it is not the depressing message one would think when discussing dried up, decaying bones. God reminds us that even when we are that far gone, He can pull us together. There is always hope, always! I shudder to think what He might be preparing me for. Clearly, my old bones are in for some sort of a shake up. Meanwhile, I am going for a run, while my old bones are still able. And I will keep hearing that song in my head,

Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
Ezekiel cried, "Dem dry bones!"
"Oh, hear the word of the Lord."

The toe bone connected to the heel bone,
The heel bone connected to the foot bone,
The foot bone connected to the leg bone,
The leg bone connected to the knee bone,
The knee bone connected to the thigh bone,
The thigh bone connected to the back bone,
The back bone connected to the neck bone,
The neck bone connected to the head bone,
Oh, hear the word of the Lord!

Dem bones, dem bones gonna walk aroun'
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Dem bones, dem bones, gonna walk aroun'
Oh, hear the word of the Lord.

Lamentations 3: 1-4, 19-24

 ¹I am the man who has seen affliction
   by the rod of the LORD’s wrath.
² He has driven me away and made me walk
   in darkness rather than light;
³ indeed, he has turned his hand against me
   again and again, all day long.
 ⁴ He has made my skin and my flesh grow old
   and has broken my bones.....
 ¹⁹ I remember my affliction and my wandering,
   the bitterness and the gall.
²⁰ I well remember them,
   and my soul is downcast within me.
²¹ Yet this I call to mind
   and therefore I have hope:
 ²² Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness.
²⁴ I say to myself, “The LORD is my portion;
   therefore I will wait for him.”