Talking about Tonsils

I love talking to my kids.  They come up with some hilarious things sometimes.

While driving to school this morning we got on the subject of tonsils.  I’ve had a sore throat for weeks now and am going back in to the doctor today for some tests. We were talking about my appointment and the dreaded throat swab, when a dry wad of cotton is scraped across already swollen, meaty tonsils.  Yuck.

This led to, “What do tonsils do?” “Why do we have tonsils?” “Can we live without them?” “Do you really get to eat any kind of ice cream you want if you have them out?”

I tried to answer the questions as well as I could, having been a Physician Assistant in my pre-offspring life, including that I think you only get the ice cream that the hospital stocks, which is probably one vanilla and chocolate. They were disappointed. I was, too.

And then my eleven your old son said, with a playful smile of curiosity in his voice, “Can they do tonsil transplants? Could I give a tonsil to someone who may need one?”

I love that. I'm still laughing about it. Tonsil transplants. Having worked in the transplant arena with kidneys, pancreases (or is it pancrei? I can't remember) and livers, I am picturing a surgical procedure trying to do a living-related tonsil harvest from one person and transplant it into someone else’s posterior pharynx. Too funny. Well, at least it is to me.

I explained to him that this would not really be necessary (although creative!) as we do not really NEED our tonsils.  It would just be giving someone something that wouldn’t benefit them.

As I dropped the children off and drove away, I started to think about our giving people things they really don’t need -- things like poor advice or false hope.

We think we are helping, but we are not. They are like “tonsil transplants.” It doesn't benefit them.

I’m sure I’ve done it. I don’t mean ill by it, but before I know it, I’m handing over worldly wisdom rather than godly hope. 

I’m going to try and think about this some more and ask the Lord to show me how to give to those I love what He says is helpful for them – something they REALLY need  -- the hope that we have in Jesus.  Perhaps it’s   a meal, a word of encouragement, a listening ear, a book, a scripture verse – only the Lord knows.  I’ll ask Him for His wisdom.

And in the meanwhile, I think I’ll just enjoy some comic relief envisioning a “tonsil transplant.”

(PS -- I opted for no photo today -- I just couldn't bring myself to posting a posterior pharynx. Ugh).