MY HUSBAND, AN AVID FISHERMAN DOES IT. SPIDERMAN OR SUPERMAN ARE ALSO KNOWN TO DO IT- "SCALE" THE CATCH OF THE DAY OR "SCALE" GREAT HEIGHTS RESPECTIVELY!
HOWEVER, "SCALING" HAS AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MEANING OR MEMORY TO ME. LET'S MOVE ON FROM THAT WORDPLAY, AND GET TO THE NITTY GRITTY TRUTH OF THE MATTER!
I WAS ABOUT 11 YEARS OLD GETTING READY FOR THE SUNDAY SCHOOL CHURCH VAN TO PICK ME UP. BACK IN THE HOLLER WHERE I GREW UP, WE WERE NOT PRIVILEGED WITH RUNNING WATER, BUT WE DEFINITELY HAD A HOT WATER TANK!
IT WAS CALLED A TEAKETTLE AND MOM SAT IT ON THE WOODSTOVE EACH NIGHT FOR THE NEXT MORNING'S NEEDS. CAUTION!!! KIDS DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!!
BEFORE THE FAMILY WAS UP, I GOT THE TEAKETTLE TO POUR IT INTO THE SINK TO WASH MY HAIR, WHEN I ACCIDENTALLY BUMPED THE COUNTER AND POURED THE BOILING WATER ALL OVER MY FEET AND LEGS. RUSHED BY EMS TO THE LOCAL HOSPITAL, THEY TOLD MY PARENTS I WOULD NEED SURGERY ON MY EXPOSED PARTS OF MY FEET AND LEGS TO RECOVER. I REMEMBER THE TERRIBLE PAIN. AND SHOCK. BUT I WAS SENT HOME WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR MOTHER TO SOAK MY FEET IN PURE IVORY SOAP IN WARM (STILL DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT LOGIC!), WATER AND APPLY VITAMIN E TO MY FEET AND LEGS. GOOD TIMES !!
MEANWHILE, A PRECIOUS HOLINESS COUPLE AND A GENTLEMAN FROM MY CHURCH WHERE I ATTENDED, ASKED MY PARENTS IF THEY COULD COME AND PRAY OVER MY LEGS. THEY AGREED AND PRAY THEY DID!
FAST FORWARD TO MY FIRST DOCTOR VISIT FOLLOW-UP. THE PHYSICIAN TOLD MY MOTHER WHAT HE WOULD NOW HAVE TO DO. HE WOULD HAVE TO REMOVE THE OLD DAMAGED SKIN OFF MY LEGS AND FEET FOR MY SKIN TO HEAL PROPERLY.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS WORSE-THE EXCRUCIATING PAIN OF THAT BURN AND SUBSEQUENT PROCEDURE WITHOUT PAIN MEDS, OR MY PRECIOUS MOTHER HAVING TO HOLD ME DOWN FOR HIM TO DO IT. EITHER WAY, IT REMAINS A PHYSICAL SUFFERING AND ANGUISH IN MY MEMORY LIKE NEVER BEFORE OR SINCE!
I'VE LEARNED SINCE THAT EXPERIENCE IS CALLED "SCALING".
HOW APPROPRIATE. ALL I KNOW IS THE RESULT--THE PRAYER, THE REMEDY, AND MY PRECIOUS GOD WHO HEALED MY LEGS AND FEET. NO SURGERY. NO SCARS. JUST WHITE HEALTHY SKIN AND FEET. I KNOW PERSONALLY THAT GOD CAN AND STILL DOES HEAL! I'VE BEEN CALLED "KNOCK-KNEED AND PIGEON-TOED" BUT I THINK I HAVE BEAUTIFUL LEGS AND FEET!
BUT THE GREATEST OF ALL MIRACLES WASN'T THAT! IT WAS WHEN THE "SCALES" WERE REMOVED FROM MY EYES UNTO A NEW LIFE! MY HEART WAS FILLED WITH BLISTERING, FESTERING DEADNESS. MY EYES WERE BLINDED BY THE SIN I WAS BORN INTO AND MY EARS COULD NOT HEAR PROPERLY UNTIL GOD REMOVED THOSE DEAD CELLS FROM MY SOUL AND I AWOKE TO A BRAND NEW CLEAN LIFE THAT ONLY HE COULD BRING! MY VOCABULARY WAS EVEN HEALED! MADE ALIVE, MY HEALED SOUL NOW RESPONDS TO THE GREAT PHYSICIAN'S COUNSEL AND HIS LIVING WORD!
LET HIM HEAL YOUR SOUL! LET HIM REMOVE THOSE OLD ROTTEN SINS THAT BIND YOU TO A WICKED SLAVEMASTER AND BE FREED FROM THE FALL! YOU TOO CAN SAY THAT YOU ARE DESTINED TO SCALE GREAT HEIGHTS SOMEDAY...FAR REMOVED FROM THE ETERNAL FIRE! HE SURELY HAS THE REMEDY!
