I had surgery to on my right shoulder almost 2 months ago to repair a torn labrum (labrum is a type of cartilage found in the shoulder joint). It was an injury that I had many years ago and I finally decided to get it surgically repaired. I had my surgery on Fat Tuesday the day before Lent began. I told folks that I decided to give up the use of my right arm for Lent.Lent lasts roughly six weeks which turned out to be the exact amount of time my arm was in a sling. When you give up the use of your dominant arm for that length of time you get reasonably good at using your left arm/hand. In fact there is research that says it takes about 6 weeks of practicing something everyday for it to become a habit.
You are probably wondering why I have this picture of a Western Skunk Cabbage along side this blog entry. Well, Skunk Cabbage for me has always represented the season of Lent/Easter so well. It is found here in the Pacific Northwest during the early Spring time each year. What I find so amazing is this great plant grows from the ugliest and most foul looking muddy bog areas (areas you definitely want to avoid walking in!). So out of this ugly, dark and messy bog of mud comes new life! Amazing isn't it. Just like what God is doing in our lives. He raises up out of the mud to create in us new life! Just like my right shoulder surgery. Over the 6 weeks I actually learned something new. I could actually do things with my left arm and hand!
We are all constantly dying and rising to new life in so many things in our lives. Let's use this image of the Skunk Cabbage to inspire us on to those areas in our life where we need to rise up to new life!
P.S.
I also really like the huge Skunk Cabbage leaves. They are very cool to photograph like this image from my Closeups Gallery - Good Green.
