Don't Thank Me, Thank God!
Stories
Lectionary Tales For The Pulpit
Series III, Cycle C
When Jill was five, she began to have headaches. The headaches were so severe she would throw up. Sometimes she would pass out. They usually came once a month. Jill could be playing, resting, or watching television when the headaches would come. Her only warning was a sudden pain in her head, then a blinding light would appear, and she would be rocked with pain. In her teenage years, they became debilitating, causing Jill to be in bed for three days at a time.
Her parents took her to numerous clinics. What was the cause of this? What could they do about the headaches? Would they ever go away?
Medicine was given, but each one gave Jill new side effects. She was bloated, or would become nauseous, or would experience muscle stiffness. No medicine really worked against the headaches; they just lessened the pain and gave her new things to worry about.
On a sight-seeing trip through Indiana, Jill met a woman who administered herbal medicines. Jill didn't believe in "stuff like that" but Jill's roommate insisted they talk to the woman. They brought back three bags of herbal remedies. Jill was suspicious: They were ordinary herbs she could find in her own area of the country. Her friend insisted it gave her even more reason to try them.
Jill tried them and found some relief. Whenever she would get a blinding light, she would run for the mixture and drink it with weakened tea. It helped a little at first, then more often. Jill had the mixture on hand at home and carried a concentrate with her at all times -- "just in case."
Jill began to study herbs and their potential effect on pain. She read from manuals where doctors disputed their power. She read testimonials from patients who were relieved from all kinds of maladies. Jill weighed all the evidence until she ran across a recipe for a herbal remedy for migraines.
The combination was unusual, but Jill read all the effects of the herbs and their possible side effects. She tried the combination and found instant relief. When she had that terrible pain and blinding light, she would take the herbs. She never again got to the point of becoming nauseous, throwing up, or passing out. Was this the beginning of the end?
Many years later, Jill returned to Indiana and found her roommate's friend. She was still selling herbal remedies. Jasrit was delighted to see Jill and they hugged and shared tea and biscuits. Jill told her the story of her research on herbs, their potential for healing, and different combinations. She shared her success with a particular combination that had stopped her migraines from progressing past the initial momentary stab of pain. Jasrit could see how important this was to Jill. They hugged to celebrate her newfound freedom from the terrors of migraine.
It was almost time for Jill to catch the train. She turned to Jasrit. "If you hadn't insisted I try your herbs, I would never have found the next group of herbs that gave me the cure. If you hadn't opened this door to me, who knows what kind of person I would be today? If it weren't for you, I could have been a prisoner to migraines.
Jasrit held up her hand. "You know I'm a Christian, Jill. You are thanking the wrong person. I believe in God, in God's healing power and God's answer to prayer. When you saw me, I brought your story back to my church family and we prayed for you every week. Only God can orchestrate miracles. Don't thank me, thank God!"
Her parents took her to numerous clinics. What was the cause of this? What could they do about the headaches? Would they ever go away?
Medicine was given, but each one gave Jill new side effects. She was bloated, or would become nauseous, or would experience muscle stiffness. No medicine really worked against the headaches; they just lessened the pain and gave her new things to worry about.
On a sight-seeing trip through Indiana, Jill met a woman who administered herbal medicines. Jill didn't believe in "stuff like that" but Jill's roommate insisted they talk to the woman. They brought back three bags of herbal remedies. Jill was suspicious: They were ordinary herbs she could find in her own area of the country. Her friend insisted it gave her even more reason to try them.
Jill tried them and found some relief. Whenever she would get a blinding light, she would run for the mixture and drink it with weakened tea. It helped a little at first, then more often. Jill had the mixture on hand at home and carried a concentrate with her at all times -- "just in case."
Jill began to study herbs and their potential effect on pain. She read from manuals where doctors disputed their power. She read testimonials from patients who were relieved from all kinds of maladies. Jill weighed all the evidence until she ran across a recipe for a herbal remedy for migraines.
The combination was unusual, but Jill read all the effects of the herbs and their possible side effects. She tried the combination and found instant relief. When she had that terrible pain and blinding light, she would take the herbs. She never again got to the point of becoming nauseous, throwing up, or passing out. Was this the beginning of the end?
Many years later, Jill returned to Indiana and found her roommate's friend. She was still selling herbal remedies. Jasrit was delighted to see Jill and they hugged and shared tea and biscuits. Jill told her the story of her research on herbs, their potential for healing, and different combinations. She shared her success with a particular combination that had stopped her migraines from progressing past the initial momentary stab of pain. Jasrit could see how important this was to Jill. They hugged to celebrate her newfound freedom from the terrors of migraine.
It was almost time for Jill to catch the train. She turned to Jasrit. "If you hadn't insisted I try your herbs, I would never have found the next group of herbs that gave me the cure. If you hadn't opened this door to me, who knows what kind of person I would be today? If it weren't for you, I could have been a prisoner to migraines.
Jasrit held up her hand. "You know I'm a Christian, Jill. You are thanking the wrong person. I believe in God, in God's healing power and God's answer to prayer. When you saw me, I brought your story back to my church family and we prayed for you every week. Only God can orchestrate miracles. Don't thank me, thank God!"
