It was refreshing to go back to church today after a two week absence. Many of my friends came to the pew where I was sitting and told me that they had prayed for me this past week when they saw my name in the ‘hospitalization / recovery’ section of the Bulletin and also when my name was called out in prayer for healing during the prayer for healing of church members, church needs, etc. between worship and offering.

I also found out from a good friend of mine that one of my Christian single friends {the one I have ‘feelings’ for; but still wonder if she is still seeing that out-of-town boyfriend and wonder if I am ‘too poor’ (I make way less money than she does) for her; so therefore I keep the ‘feelings’ private not wanting to interfere with her possible relationship with the possible out-of-town boyfriend that I do not know if they are still together} was a little ‘upset’ that I did not tell her for she didn’t know about the surgery. However, she did not show up at church today to where I could talk to her about it and resolve everything.

Because it was outpatient surgery, I only told a select few people at church and did not officially tell the church office. However, someone did tell the church office and the church called my home number while I was in surgery stating that they prayed for me that morning and if I was in need to call them. When I called them back Monday to update them, they politely asked why I did not request pastoral staff in the waiting room with my family stating that they would have been glad to have sent one of the associate pastors to the hospital whether it was outpatient surgery or major surgery. I replied about how my surgery was described to me as being simple outpatient surgery (it went down that way) and I felt that if someone else at the church was suffering and was undergoing major surgery that I would have wanted energy and focus directed towards them because they were in more need. However, I did state that if it was serious surgery and / or the surgery required a hospital stay, I would have gone through the ‘protocol’ and notified the church and invited the associate pastor to come out to the hospital waiting room.

This morning, the elder {in my church, each member is assigned an elder who calls them a minimum of once every two months to check up on them and address any questions, needs (if possible; or would refer them to another ministry within the church that could assist); and concerns, and prays for them} who is assigned to me came up to me wondering why I did not contact the church. I told him the same reasoning I told the church and he prayed for me for continuance of healing.

In fact, I didn’t want many people there because I did not know if I could handle lots of church people and extended family seeing me afterwards. I was with my nuclear family after the surgery and did not know if my tactfulness would have remained with all the anesthesia, sedative, and Percoset at work within me. The only thing that really bothered me starting two weeks before and even now after the surgery was that being almost forty years old and single, my elderly parents (who I am graciously thankful for) had to assist me with the transportation to and from surgery and the overnight aftercare where a Godly wife / helpmate should have been the person to assist me with the transportation to and from surgery and the overnight aftercare with the parents and nuclear family there for moral support. It has really gotten me to a point to where the search for the Godly wife has intensified within me to the point where I am praying more and more about marriage, wanting to settle down, where to go about finding ‘her’ and knowing when I have found ‘her’ to get more bravado to ask her out to begin and nurture the relationship, and awakening again some nights at 3 AM and praying about marriage feeling a sense of loneliness while praying and dealing with ‘the restless part within everyone’ that rises up when a pressing issue in life is going unresolved.

Along with hearing much better now, I heard via e-mail from a friend that I have been extremely close to the past twenty years but the past year and a half, drifted far apart due to the demands of life and ‘frictions’ that came up when a particular person attempted to sever our friendship. I pray that as my hearing is restored and healing is continually taking place that our friendship (even though we have some theological disagreements) will continue to be yearning towards being fully restored and continual healing of the ‘frictions’ will continue to take place. [In fact, I could write a bizarre prophecy about this entitled "My Ear Surgery Created A Prophetic Restoration (in snarky and sarcastic jest to Bill Yount's famous "My Heart Attack Represented a Prophetic Act!" prophecy; but i won't, I'm above that]

Now, I start preparing to deal with insurance companies and paying off all the bills as I go Onward, Forward, and Toward continued healing, continued restoration, and continual prayer and search for a Godly marriage.