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Slice of Life

This is February.
The month that belongs to Valentine’s Day.
The month of roses, chocolate, and love songs.
The month of candied hearts and silly school rhymes.
The month that I initial papers with red hearts that smile.

And so with hearts on my mind, I chanced upon the backstory to the song Tell Your Heart to Beat Again.  After listening to the story, my thoughts leaped about. I thought of the hot August day when standing beside my mother’s hospital bed, her hand in mine, a smile lighting up her face, and the words “I love you” still echoing around us, a fatal heart attack took her from me. Then I thought of how very blessed I am to know so much love throughout my life. That love helped me make it through hard places. And then I thought of the those who . . . ,  But wait. I’m getting ahead of myself. Let me share the song’s backstory first.

A number of years ago, during an open heart surgery, the surgeon sawed open the patient’s chest, lifted out the heart, and performed the necessary procedure. Then the surgeon placed the heart back in the patient’s chest and began to massage it to prompt it to beat again.

Something wasn’t working. The heart did not beat. The surgeon tried again. No response. The medical team tried more extreme measures, but still there was nothing.

The surgeon removed his mask, bent close to his patient’s ear and whispered, “Mrs. Johnson, this is your surgeon. The procedure went perfectly. Your heart has been repaired. Now tell your heart to beat again.”

And it did.    (Listen to Phillips, Craig & Dean share the full story.)

As I was saying, after hearing this backstory, I thought of the those whose hearts hurt. Aching hearts. Perhaps that’s you. Maybe your heart feels cold like a stone. Like it has stopped.

The daughter of one of my teacher friends, sharing about this song on her blog, writes

Divorce, fear, a prodigal child, loneliness, abuse, illness, death of a loved one; something has left you holding your breath. It has left your heart deathly still. It is time to tell your heart to beat again. You will live to love another day, but you have to breathe. The gift is there. The procedure is complete, but now you have to do your part and tell your heart to beat. God can heal all that breaks our hearts. He willingly does so, but the gift is only complete if we draw a breath.
. . .
Tell you heart to beat again. There is healing. There is hope. The Great Physician has performed the procedure. Now it is up to you.  (itza doozie)

So,

Tell your heart to beat again
Close your eyes and breathe it in
Let the shadows fall away
Step into the light of grace
Yesterday’s a closing door
You don’t live there anymore
Say goodbye to where you’ve been
And tell your heart to beat again
–Chorus

* * * *
For God so loved the world
that he gave his one and only Son,
that whoever believes in him
shall not perish
but have eternal life.
John 3:16



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