If you’ve read my novel, ̛this blog picks up on an unpresentable task faced by the main character. Fasten your seatbelt and proceed—with caution.
The Bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made Psalm (139:14). Think of the complexity of our bodies: Brain. Eyes. Ears. Heart. Hands. All—and more—made by an Intelligent Designer.
To that list, I would add Plumbing. We don’t often talk about that part of our bodies, but it’s 
worthy of note.
Several times a day, I make a mad dash to the bathroom to “relieve” myself, followed by a sense of blissful . . . relief. The other day while contemplating, it occurred to me to thank God for allowing me to function properly. It’s not a given, and many people have serious problems.
I had one, myself. Some 60 years ago, chronic Urinary Tract Infections made my life miserable, with meds that didn’t work—to the point of occasionally passing blood. My urologist would insert his little camera and tsk-tsk over the scar tissue in there.
Then I discovered vitamin C. After a particularly bad episode, I took a huge dose of about 5000 mgs, and the next day, the doctor could not find a single blood cell in my urine. From that time on, I never had a single UTI.
Good nutrition produces healthy functioning. I do have stage-4 cancer that will eventually ship me off to heaven, but I’m grateful for small things between now and then, and I thank God, daily, for the well-designed system that works so splendidly.
Jesus, fully human, also had to pee. The Jews in Jesus’ time had prayers for just about everything. I couldn’t find a prayer, but Deuteronomy 23: 12-14 gives specific instructions. Look it up. Holiness is the major factor.
Bodily plumbing that works is a built-in blessing that we seldom think about, let alone give proper thanks for. I am also grateful for occupational plumbers who install and keep our toilets functioning. We no longer need to have trowels at hand. Thanks be to God!
I won’t ask for your personal experiences this time! Feel free to just say either AMEN! or
E-EWWW!
…below, or jegust@comcast.net
If you haven’t read the novel, I have copies. $12 postage paid. It’s also on Kindle.
God is good, all the time.
ALL the time God is good.
Thankful in ALL things. Thankful for you too!
Hahaha!!! Gutsy move Ellie!
But I do agree that we often forget to thank God for His creative design and function of our glorious bodies. I wonder if our resurrected bodies will need to have the same parts & functions. 🤔
I’ve read a lot of near-death experiences, but this particular subject has never come up. It certainly won’t matter in that new Reality! 🙂
Yes! The Mystery of the Incarnation – the Eternal Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We moderns are so weird about our bodies – obsessing over them either as idols or horrible secrets. Medieval Christians gloried in reflecting on how *real* the Infant Jesus was, from nursing to diapers. And He proved the reality of the Resurrection to the skeptical apostles by eating in front of them (cause, yaknow, if a ghost were to eat something the food would just fall on the floor. . . .)
A good connection, Sally–The WORD became FLESH and all that that entails. Thanks much for your helpful take on a difficult subject. : )
Yes, Ellie, we do need to be thankful for these things that sometimes don’t work properly! If they do we usually take it for granted! Thanks for the reminder to give thanks for all things!
Thanks, Jane, and you’re right on with our need to be thankful! 🙂
Love this posting. It has always interested me that talking about certain bodily functions is not acceptable in polite society. I have one good friend who doesn’t adhere to that belief and she has made my life so much easier and because of this openess, I have had good conversations with doctors. Today I’m on call to pick up a friend who is having a colonoscopy. The last time I had one, I asked the doctor why she got into doing this and her response was because she thinks it’s interesting. She wanted to show me pix but I was in yuck mode. I am SO greatful for people like her and people like my friend who would ask for help. Yes, or bodies are wonderfully made.
Thanks so much, Linda! This is such an everyday thing, so we ought to be able to talk about it comfortably. We are wonderfully made, for sure!
So funny Ellie! Yes, God has our backs, our fronts, and all the things in between. And when you’ve gotta go… well you know the rest.
I would love to purchase a copy of your novel. Just let me know the process. And just as a side, could I not receive the copy in the toilet picture, lol?
Tess, I’m still laughing over your comment. Love it! Thanks so much for wanting the novel AND the toilet pic!
Bwahhaha! Unpresentable indeed. Yet so true. Thanks for being you, dear Ellie! xo
Carol, you’re shoving me right into LOL!!! Thanks for seeing the humor—even in unpresentable truth!
It’s always good to be reminded of the little things we take for granted. Though I have to admit, I make myself laugh every time I thank God out loud that everything came out okay. And aren’t we glad that stores have public restrooms now?
This body won’t last forever but I feel a responsibility to God to take care of what he has given me. It gets a little harder during ice cream season though.
You are such a treasure Ellie! Thanks for reminding me to give thanks in all things.
Thanks so much, Sue, for your observations—especially noting the ice-cream season! And yes, public restrooms—if they’re not in the far, far corner of the store—are a blessing! 🙂
Your book is becoming new and very interesting. Indeed, we are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. We function well. Like a car taken to the garage for the Mechanic to fix the problem, our bodies are known by our God, the Chief Mechanic who knows every part and piece of us. We ought to be in tune with Him. I love Him. David remarked, ” As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you O God” (Ps 42:1).
AMEN, Hillary! God, our Creator, thought of everything, but we have the responsibility of caring properly for our bodies.
Hi Ellie,
I enjoyed the your book and the book study ! I looked up Deuteronomy 23:12-14 and was very surprised at what it said. I wish I had known this when my son on one of his many camping trips told us the process of what is done when you have to go. I will make it a point to let him know where this originated. The bible, as old as it is is always relevant.
There are also many herbals, given to us by God that we can resource for many maladies.
God is good, he has given us everything we need.
Sherry D.
Thanks much, Sherry, for actually LOOKING UP the Deuteronomy passage. I too thought it was pretty interesting. And yes, the Bible is our resource for many aspects of life. 🙂
Hey Ellie,
I am sorry to be so slow in responding to your blog. This has been a very busy summer. I did enjoy it. It made me smile on a number of levels. It is those little things in life for which we are not always thankful enough. We all take so much for granted. Thanks for the reminder that God is interested and involved in every detail of our lives. I have all of your books on the bookshelf behind me. I just looked over and realized that An Unpresentable Glory is not there. I have read it but I must have lent my copy to someone. If you still have some copies left, I will send you a check! Thank you for your never-ending wit!
Thanks, Kathy. We both seem to enjoy laughing at even normal, common things! : )
As a woman with Crohn’s disease, I am grateful for a working toilet!
The perfect comment! Thanks much, Martha!!! 🙂