Ears ...

Growing up, I went to Christian Schools K-12.  It was what was important to my parents and it eventually became important to me too.  In 4th Grade my Dad became a teacher and continued teaching 1 more year after I graduated from High School.  It was a sacrifice of love for all his kids.  While it didn't feel like it at the time, looking back, I can see my parents love in the choices that they made for their kids.  And, I'm doing the same for my kids.

So one of the memories I have of my dad when we were in school was a sermon he did in chapel.  All the men teachers had to take turns preaching during chapel at Heritage Baptist Academy in Antioch, CA.  He preached on Mark 4:9 "And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."  We used the King James Version back then, and it stuck in my mind, so that's why I used it here.

I remember that he had a prop for the sermon, he used a telephone.  I remember him saying often during the sermon, sometimes loudly to demonstrate how our ears hear (I think) ... He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.  I don't know why this suck in my head or made such an impression on me.  I was either in 7th or 8th grade at the time, but that's one of my memories of my dad.  I know he used the sermon again in a different school, but the 1st time he preached that verse, it made an impression.

So I said all that because right now, I can't hear in one of my ears, my left ear to be exact.  It reminded me of the verse that I learned so long ago.  It talks about hearing, which is not something I'm currently doing well.  I did a quick Bible search online (via BibleGateway.com) and see that the Bible mentions the the following words:

ears is found in 81 verses
hear is found in 358 verses
hears is found in 53 verses
hearing is found in 55 verses
heard is found in 559 verses
listen is found in 332 verses

Interesting huh?  It's an important topic ... many of God's people say they "heard" from the Lord and God says to the Israelites that He "heard them".  Proverbs is full of verses that say "listen to me".  Many verses in Psalms are crying out to God to "hear" them. 

It shows me how important it is that we hear and listen to God (and others).  I am especially aware hearing right now and the limitations you have on life without both ears working properly.

Here's what I've noticed:

- Driving is dangerous with only 1 ear working, you can't hear traffic coming the other direction.

- Singing at church is interesting because you mainly hear yourself (I think that's how someone came up with the term singing in their head - they must have been lacking in working ears at the time) ... can't quite tell if your on key with everyone else (although you hope you are :-) ... you can hear the musicians, but once you start singing your head voice competes with the others.

- Every day "white/background" noises become so much louder.  You hear everything, nothing is filtered out.  The white noises are truly as loud as people talking to you and it's difficult to focus on the people talking vs. the annoying white noises (like wind, music, ice machines/soda machines, coolers, fans, computers, etc.).

- You feel like only half of your head is working and you can't quite tell which direction things are coming from.

- It's "work" to listen to others ... you really have to concentrate on paying attention when others are talking.

- Sleeping, when you finally get some after the terrible pain, is fantastic because I can't hear the hubby snore ... of course, if there was a fire or the kids were screaming, if I was sleeping with my good ear on the pillow, I wouldn't hear it, so that's not so good.

- Talking to people in crowded places is difficult, I've had to have Guillermo help me because I can't figure out what people are saying - ugh!

- It's kind of nice telling the kids that I can't hear them - LOL, of course, it is true, most of the time they are talking to me around walls, which is fine when both ears worked, not so good with only one.

- Taking a shower is interesting because you really, really hear the water hitting your head and it's loud in your head ... so weird!

- I think the most significant thing I've experienced is that how much we really need both ears for hearing things properly.  With just one working ear, your not able to filter out the background noises.  Everything that comes into your ears are truly at the same volume ... you do hear everything all at once ... it's an onslaught of loud noises - Crazy!

Well, that's the story of my ears ... I sure do miss hearing and I'm praying that I can hear with both ears soon!  Right now, I'm just so thankful that the pain has diminished and I can function without needing 4 Advil's every 6 hours!  Praise the Lord for small victories!!