Lips

I've heard that chickens don't have lips. or maybe that they do have lips, just very thin ones. Although, lips would look really awkward on a beak. I'm going to go with chickens not having lips. Poor chickens. Lips are rather useful.

It's a day before Vilja's wedding and I have a cold sore. Two days ago, i started feeling the prickling and I started putting stuff on my lips. but to no avail. Yesterday, i had numerous breakdowns because I'd look in a mirror and realize how massively swollen my lips were and that I look like a monster. Luckily, an in-law who is an orthodontist living in Georgia was able to call in a prescription for me, and the swelling has subsided somewhat today. I'm staying out of the sunlight, avoiding people and conversations, and anxiously awaiting to see what state I'll be in tomorrow. I'm prayign for a miracle, but this is mostly a selfish miracle so i don't know if God will go for it. Good thing we have a large family so the family pictures will be taken from far away.

Since my lips have become incapacitated, i've been thinking a lot about how much healthy lips mean to me. Lips are amazingly useful. I've been thinking of how this can be an object lesson of some sort one day, and was thinking this morning about whether or not I treat my lips right. Yes, i always use chapstick, but that's not what I mean. i mean the function of lips. Lips are used as a symbol for communication-- whether it be kissing or talking, communication of some form. I was thinking about the scripture in Isaiah 6:5 this morning where Isaiah says "... Woe is me! For I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips..." What doe sit mean to have unclean lips? Perhaps it is to lie, to be dishonest, to gossip, speak negatively... letting words pass your lips that tear down and pollute rather than build people up. I certainly could be more positive in my speech, especially when it comes to talking about boys with my other unmarried sister (hey, we're bonding over this).

i could use my lips to communicate better with people. I've been very good at using my lips to express my attraction and interest in people, but lately i've gotten to the point where i've realized that I've been perhaps imprudent at times, and should use my lips more for expressing things with words rather than kisses (i simply said more words, not giving up on the kisses entirely. i think still think that those are a very important form of communication).

And then of course there are the things that go through the lips into the body. I was talking to a woman yesterday who was telling me that the cold sore was my body's way of telling me that there is something wrong with it. Perhaps the things I put into my body are harming it. Cut out some of the processed things and sugars and put in more natural, less toxic items. I suppose I should put away this box of graham crackers. Sigh. but there is a lot of sense to targeting the problems of my body by fixing what I put into my body through my lips.

Dear lips, i am so thankful for you. You make cleaning a fork much easier, and talking, and i would look so funny if I didn't have you. I know I've complained about having thin lips, but I promise, if you heal quickly, i will treat you so well. i'll buy you a nice lip gloss and use you only for good things.
Sincerely, your person, Suvi.