SCARS...

They can be physical...

emotional...

They can be hidden or visible, but no matter where they are located...there has been pain. 

or sometimes a physical scar or deformity can cause emotional scars.
(I will refer to the girl in the center as K) 

K made it through the big screening day in August. I never saw her that day, but I got to know her this weekend as I was taking care of her in the hospital. She was one that we got to say 'yes, we can help you' to. 

I took care of her for 3 days (Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday). That first day I had a hard time engaging her in anything, she was very withdrawn and reserved.  I wanted to spend more time with her, but there was another patient (a 3 year old little boy) who had me carrying him around most of the day. 

Thursday I was able to spend a little more time with her, but still was having trouble. I watched her on Deck 7 while we were outside, and saw her watching some other girls her age...but she wouldn't go over and talk with them. In fact she didn't talk to anybody, only her mother who was with her.  

Finally, Friday morning I was able to sit down and teach her how to play memory. We played for awhile, until I had to give some more meds. Then some other people took the Memory game and started playing, so when I had more time we played Jenga. 

Now, it may not sound like much, but it was the first time I saw her interacting with anyone, and out of bed except for the times she had to be up. That day we took Jenga outside to Deck 7 and continued to play for the hour we were outside. I could still see her watching the other girls, and at one point I asked her if she wanted to go join them and she said 'no.' 

I didn't ask if she was still in school, but I can guess that she would have been teased for being different...creating those emotional scars. What she didn't know that I knew...those girls who look beautiful, seem to have nothing physically wrong are actually burn patients. They have physical scars which hide silently under their clothing. 

That's when I started thinking about scars and the different types...I have my own scars, but they are hidden deep in my heart, where nobody can see them. Everyone has them, and nobody what's to let other see them.

As I was thinking about it, I thought about Jesus...he had scars on his hands and feet from the cross. He shared those with his disciples, He didn't hide them. He truly understands our scars, the pain of rejection, the pain of cruel teasing and ridicule, and the physical pain of beatings and death. 

I haven't gotten this all figured out, but I know that I must trust Him with the pain of the past, present, and future. Through Him I will have the courage to love and forgive those that hurt me...following the example of Jesus. 

I love the saying here on the ship, "For hope to be believable in the future it must be tangible in the present." 

Hope

Healing

Love

Joy

Peace

What do these words really mean? Not the definition, but what does the essence of these words mean?