July 24, 2003 · 6:30 am

Just Being a Dentist

Yesterday was an interesting day at work. It was a day when I had to get some things done that I was struggling with. Some technical glitches like a broken root canal file and a difficult appliance to fit. Now this day could have been totally frustrating but it turned out to be a day well spent. I’m not one of those people that glibly say that I prayed and God fixed everything. I was working hard but I also know God is always there with me.

The root canal file broke the last time I was working on the tooth. So I had to tell the patient and get her back to attempt to get it out. The cutting edge of the file is embedded in the surface of the nerve chamber. (That is how we file away the surface to get a smooth cone shaped interior that will accept the filling and have it fit snuggly.) Then the file is turned, removing the interior surface leaving it smooth. Only this time the tip of file remained embedded in the dentin surface. It kind of blocks the canal when this happens and sometimes we just leave it and fill up to the broken file. This piece was broken right up in the entry to the canal so I couldn’t do that. It had to come out or else the tooth had to be removed.

I worked for awhile trying to get down past the file with no success. Then I got out this little gadget that produces ultrasonic vibrations and it worked. Out came the little piece of file just when I was about to give up and explain to the patient that I was going to have to take her tooth out.

You would think that would be the end of the story – no way! I had to finish the smoothing so the root canal filling would fit well. I picked up another file – the same size- Brand New so it shouldn’t break right? One single turn of the file and I was back to square one. Out came the ultrasonic gadget again and again it came out. A huge silent prayer of thanks went up to God on my part!

The appliance fit well too. Finally after two remakes! And I was able to help my locums dentist with a difficult extraction and show her an easier way. And the student learned a good lesson in not jumping to conclusions – took his time to diagnose a case that was difficult to sort out. So all in all it was a good day.

When I was in Vancouver, my cousin asked me if I really liked being a dentist. Yeah, there are some days when I love it – and not just the easy days when nothing goes wrong. I never have to work alone – God is always there. He made the stuff I work on so shouldn’t I expect a little help from Him when I need it!

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July 23, 2003 · 9:00 pm

PA Pearls

A friend of ours and noted writer of important medical trivia writes a medical journal of note. Want some fun medical reading check out the PA Pearls

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July 23, 2003 · 5:50 pm

Translations – Which One?

I was catching up on some blogging, dropping in on some sites that I missed reading over the weekend. Leighton Tebay blogged about different translations of the Bible the other day and it started me to thinking, especially the comments.

Sounds like the different versions are in a competition for accuracy. And these are only the English versions!

Those of us who are not in the translation/hermeneutics business appreciate you scholars wanting us to have an accurate translation. Going back to the original texts sure wouldn’t mean much to me! And literal translations are usually very bad when read in the language they are translated into. I like the way the Wyclif people translate – finding the closest equivalents in the local culture to express what the best scholars say the Bible states in the originals or other good translations.

I want a Bible that is accurate and I have to depend on scholars for that. But I also want one that is meaningful, that I can pick up and read and through it have God speak to me. To do that it needs to speak to me in my language and have relevance in the context of the culture in which I live. Sometimes it needs to speak to me in new words that wake me up. Sometime it needs to speak to me in poetry that touches my inner self. God is speaking to me through his recorded words while at the same time, if I am listening for his voice, he will be raising my awareness of how his words have meaning for my life. No translation will have a lot of meaning if my inner ears are too plugged up to hear him.

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July 22, 2003 · 11:20 pm

Home Again – after Vancouver

It’s been a busy day. It always takes awhile for me to get things back together after being away for a few days. You know, the “mom” stuff doesn’t get done by anyone else. So today I got a few things straightened out but my suitcase still has stuff in it. And it is too hot to do much in our house.

The weekend in Vancouver was very good as far as the course goes. But by Sunday afternoon by about 3:00, my brain kind of switched off. Fortunately, the lecturer provides all his presentations on CD and so I can go over everything I didn’t catch the first time around. I hate the courses I have to pay hundreds of dollars to go to where the lecturer doesn’t even provide printed handouts.

Sunday evening was spent just the way I wanted to – visiting with my cousin over a leisurely feast of seafood. It has been a long time since I really visited with her. She’s a bit older than me and has some health issues that mean she faces things now that most of us just put on the back burner. As she said it is not so much the going that bothers her it is just the how of going that bothers her. I think that is probably how many of us feel.

Then coming back to Saskatoon early enough to do a few things was nice. It was like having a day off. Got up to visit my sister-in-law in the hospital and see her huge incision. She’s doing well but says she’d never choose to have that done again!

And got to spend some time with Eric – and take him out for a bowl of soup at Alexanders. Leo and I used to go out often to a restaurant at the same location back in the days… And then a great blog party that evening at Coopers.

It is always good to come home. Now if we just had air conditioning!

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July 21, 2003 · 6:20 am

Chaos again

It was a hot muggy day yesterday. My morning was spent helping to decorate for the Grand March and grad dance tonight. It was fairly chaotic but sort of fun to be in on the preparations. The group I was working with discovered the most efficient way to cut paper from a huge roll to cover tables. The most disgusting thing we discovered is that only two of the toilet stalls in the gymnasium women’s’ bathroom actually work. There will be over a thousand people at this event. I think it will be best to not drink too much!

A good part of my afternoon was spent looking back through old photos making a memory scrap book for Patrick. I hope we don’t just make him feel sad because his parents could not be here. We don’t have a lot of photos from his life in the Congo. People there just don’t have the resources to go around snapping photos of their kids. And then I had to write up a little something about him. This is for our supper tonight with two other families of his best friends.

Last night it started to rain. It must be an answer to prayer for the firefighters just north of the city. A big fire was going up by Candle lake. Prince Albert sat in a blue haze from the smoke. My oldest son, Eric, works for a septic pumping company in the summer and they do those huge lagoons from pig barns. They also pump for fire fighting when there are forest fires so are very busy right now. His wife drove down a replacement worker to where he is(Elrose) so he can come up for Patrick’s grad.

I think I will be glad when life gets back to normal at our house. I wonder if that will ever happen!

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July 20, 2003 · 10:04 pm

Worship Alone – Vancouver

This morning my worship involved getting up and having my own quiet time with God. At “church time” I was again filling my head with orthodontic facts.

I read from Matthew 12:9-14

Jesus didn’t fit in very well with the established religious community of his day. Their values were skewed. They had lots of detail in the rules they made and followed but those rules didn’t take them closer to God.

The Pharisees ask Jesus, “Is it legal to work by healing on the Sabbath day?”
They know the legalities – Jesus knew the correct answer – he didnt confront them with the narrowness of their legalities though. He asked them a question in return.

What is more valuable- a sheep who you can rescue because it is in your economic interests to do so – or a person of no economic value who needs help?

If the Pharisees had seen the world through the eyes of God – eyes of love and concern, they would have gotten it. Instead they see their way of life threatened and begin to plot against Jesus.

God is too much of a threat to the status quo.

What do we value more – our economic safety or peoples lives? We need to be careful of what becomes our driving force in life. Sometimes we need to forget the status quo and live more on the edge – out where God wants us.

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Filed under Worship events

July 20, 2003 · 9:50 pm

Smiley – Vancouver

I decided to blog in from Vancouver. The hotel has internet in the lobby so here goes.

On my way in to Vancouver from the airport my taxi driver was from the east – probably India I guess. On the floor he had a tambourine. Being interested in music, I asked him if he passed his time playing his tambourine.
“Yes,” he said, “It is good for the mind – to relax.”

So, curious, I asked what kind of music he played. “Hindu music,” he replied.

The guy managing the taxi queue had called him “Smiley”. And he was a very happy looking guy. Maybe his music helped. Obviously he had a reputation.

I wonder if joy shines through me like that?

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July 19, 2003 · 8:30 pm

Sara's Soccer Picnic

Yesterday in the evening we went to Sara’s soccer team’s picnic at the Little Red Park. The girls had their usual run but this time up the ski hill. Then we all sat around and roasted wieners and ate too much. Got to know some of the other parents better too.
Picnic photos

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July 17, 2003 · 9:20 pm

Bright clouds

Tonight we were in a deacon meeting and coming out of the church there was a bank of clouds off to the west – one of those post card perfect clouds with the sun centered right behind it sending off rays all around. One of those second coming picture sorts of clouds.

I had some shopping to do down at Superstore – had to get supplies both for the office and for home. While I was in doing this it rained – poured.

Meanwhile, the bank of clouds had moved completely to the east. A billowing bank of clouds pillowed up into many layers of bright pink on grey. Stunning! And no camera!

Tomorrow I’m off to Vancouver. To fill my brain with all sorts of useful stuff about orthodontics. I know the course will be good. It’s the second half of a four day course and I’ve already done the first half. So I am looking forward to it – but I will be spending most of my time in beautiful Vancouver in a hotel conference room – 8 to 5, Saturday and Sunday.

Two things I want to do – visit my cousin in Port Coquitlam and eat some seafood, oh yeah, maybe find a good store or two. I have to bring my grandson something ’cause I’ve heard that’s what grandparents do. And I hear there is a bumper crop of cherries in BC this year – maybe a case of cherries for the blog party at Coopers. That would be nice. We could eat ourselves sick!

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July 16, 2003 · 10:20 pm

Thoughts for Today

Some thoughts for today:
Matthew 9:36
He felt great pity for the crowds that came,
because their problems were so great
and they didn’t know where to go for help.
They were like sheep without a shepherd.

I’m glad my God has pity and has become our shepherd.

Proverbs 2: 7,8
He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly.
He is their sheild,
Protecting those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of justice
And protects those who are faithful to him.

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