Scars

-

Usually, I end these posts with a poem or song, but today I am going to begin with one

SCARS by I Am They

Waking up to a new sunrise
Looking back from the other side
I can see now with open eyes

Darkest water and deepest pain
I wouldn't trade it for anything
'Cause my brokenness brought me to You
And these wounds are a story You'll use

So I'm thankful for the scars
'Cause without them I wouldn't know Your heart
And I know they'll always tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

Now I'm standing in confidence
With the strength of Your faithfulness
And I'm not who I was before
No, I don't have to fear anymore

So I'm thankful for the scars
'Cause without them I wouldn't know Your heart
And I know they'll always tell of who You are
So forever I am thankful for the scars

I've been thinking about pain, healing, and the scars that remain. I know a lot about scars because after my first knee surgery, I had hypertrophic scarring. There was so much scar tissue inside my knee joint that I lost range of motion. The trainers literally put me on a table, shocked my hamstrings, and then, when those muscles were relaxing, they would crank on my knee. It sounded like popcorn. To this day,  I don't have a normal range of motion.

As I have processed through my healing, I have developed other scars, both internal and external. In our culture, scars are not "pretty." This has been a week. Yesterday I was told that if my eye pressure didn't come down immediately, I would have to have surgery, or within a few weeks, I would be blind. My dog was limping the other day. I don't have kids, so when your fur baby is hurt, it's traumatic. Next Tuesday, I am going for an ultrasound because my mammogram had spots.

There are four stages to wound healing.

1. Hemostasis: Stopping the Bleeding

Right after an injury, the body initiates hemostasis to stop bleeding by forming a clot. Platelets gather at the wound site to protect it and prevent blood loss.

2. Inflammation: Defending Against Infection

During inflammation, white blood cells arrive at the wound to clean the area and prevent infection. This phase typically lasts a few days and may cause redness, warmth, and swelling.

3. Proliferation: Building New Tissue

The body starts rebuilding in the proliferation phase. Fibroblasts create new tissue by producing collagen, which strengthens the wound.

4. Maturation (Remodeling): Refining the Scar

This final stage can last from months to years as the skin replaces initial collagen fibers with stronger ones, gradually strengthening the scar tissue.

Here are the Common Types of Scars

  • Atrophic Scars: Common in acne or chickenpox, these scars appear as indentations. 
  • Hypertrophic Scars: Raised scars that stay within the wound area 
  • Keloid Scars: Raised, thicker scars that extend beyond the wound. 
  • Contracture Scars: Often from burns, these scars tighten skin, sometimes restricting movement. 
In some cultures they celebrate scarring. Scarification rituals can be ancient, cultural practices involving cutting or marking skin to create permanent scars for spiritual, social, or aesthetic reasons, marking life stages like adulthood (Chambri tribe's crocodile scales), signifying achievements (Suri tribe's kill marks), showing clan identity (African groups), or enhancing beauty (Mursi tribe), with scars often forming raised keloids in intricate patterns.

Scarification can mark
  • Rites of Passage: Marking the transition from childhood to adulthood, as seen in Papua New Guinea's Chambri tribe.
  • Status & Identity: Displaying clan lineage, tribal affiliation, or social status, as practiced by many African groups.
  • Spiritual Significance: Connecting to ancestors, expressing religious beliefs, or serving as spiritual markers for the afterlife (Ekoi tribe).
  • Aesthetic Beauty: Creating patterns to enhance physical attractiveness, as among the Mursi and Tiv people of Ethiopia and Nigeria, sometimes linked to fertility or sensuality.
  • Commemoration: Recording significant life events, such as bravery or personal achievements.  
Jesus is known by His scars. His scars had spiritual significance. His crucifixion was commemorated by the nail prints in His hands. If His scars were invisible, we wouldn't know that He understands our pain. When we cover or hide our scars, we deny the healing that is taking place in our lives. I know this week will leave me with some scars, if not externally, then internally. My scars are from hurts, not harm. If God has given you scars, think of it like an abscessed tooth being pulled. It may hurt briefly, but it's so your overall health is not harmed by that rotting tooth..

What I need to do is 
Share my scars - we don't heal alone
Do my physical therapy so that hypertrophic scarring that restricts me doesn't take place
Choose joy- every scar represents God at work in my life. Each scar is a chapter in my story
Remember in Heaven the only scars are His
If I had only known the last time would be the last timeI would've put off all the things I had to doI would've stayed a little longer, held on a little tighterNow what I'd give for one more day with you'Cause there's a wound here in my heart where something's missingAnd they tell me that it's gonna heal with timeBut I know you're in a place where all your wounds have been erasedAnd knowing yours are healed is healing mine
The only scars in Heaven, they won't belong to me and youThere'll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made newAnd the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall downIs that the only scars in Heaven are on the hands that hold you now
I know the road you walked was anything but easyYou picked up your share of scars along the wayOh, but now you're standing in the sun, you've fought your fight and your race is runThe pain is all a million miles away
The only scars in Heaven, they won't belong to me and youThere'll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made newAnd the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall downIs that the only scars in Heaven, yeah, are on the hands that hold you now
Hallelujah, hallelujahHallelujah, for the hands that hold you now
There's not a day goes by that I don't see youYou live on in all the better parts of meUntil I'm standing with you in the sun, I'll fight this fight and this race I'll runUntil I finally see what you can see, oh-oh
The only scars in Heaven, they won't belong to me and youThere'll be no such thing as broken, and all the old will be made newAnd the thought that makes me smile now, even as the tears fall downIs that the only scars in Heaven are on the hands that hold you now



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Community and connection

-
Image
 "Belonging is the innate desire to be part of something larger than us."  Brene Brown Imperfect We are made in the image of a Triune God. God exists in community the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When He first created man He saw that it was not good for man to be alone and He made Eve. This desire for connection goes down to our smallest level - the cell. A cell is the smallest living organism. The Types of Cells Human cells number in the trillions and are fundamental building blocks that form tissues, organs, and organ systems that work together to sustain life. Each cell type in the human body is specialized for distinct functions, from stem cells capable of becoming other cell types to nerve cells that transmit signals. Cells like osteocytes maintain bone structure, blood cells transport oxygen and fight infections, and adipocytes store energy and regulate various bodily functions. All the types of cells have to work together for a healthy human . When cells becom...
Read more

Power of the Blood

-
Image
I  have a bias, I believe, just as humanity reflects our Creator, the creation also has characteristics that can inform us about our Creator. Lately, I've been thinking about blood. It is essential to our spiritual and physical lives. The very first time God used it to cover our sin was when He slaughtered an innocent animal to cover the nakedness of Adam and Eve. In Exodus 24:1-8, the first covenant between God and Israel was signified by blood. In the new covenant, it is Jesus's blood on the cross that supplies a new sacrifice on our behalf, which the book of Hebrews calls a more perfect offering. The primary function of blood in the body is to deliver oxygen and nutrients to, and remove wastes from, the body's cells, but that is only the beginning. The specific functions of blood also include defense and maintenance of homeostasis, such as distributing heat where it is needed. Before we get into the functions, let's look at the composition of blood. Major Blood Com...
Read more

Photosynthesis

-
Image
As someone who is convinced that I have worlds to learn about love I thought I would take the lessons of the hydrologic cycle a little further and consider photosynthesis.   Photosynthesis is, at its core, an  energy conversion process . Input Energy:  Light energy (photons) from the sun. Output Energy:  Chemical potential energy stored in the covalent bonds of organic molecules, primarily glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆). This transformation occurs when organisms produce  carbon compounds  (like glucose) using light as the energy source. The key words here being conversion and transformation. It’s an  anabolic  process, meaning it b uilds complex molecules from simpler ones, requiring energy input. Reactants: Six molecules of carbon dioxide (CO₂) and six molecules of water (H₂O). Energy Source: Light energy. Products: One molecule of glucose (C₆H₁₂O₆) and six molecules of oxygen (O₂). Key components: Carbon Dioxide (CO₂): Absorbed from t...
Read more