Last Friday I had one of the most pleasant (NOT!) experiences in recent memory. I needed to have a tooth extracted. UGH! Clearly I was going to be better off without this diseased tooth, but did I want to go through the process of having it removed? Of course not!

The oral surgeon proved to be excellent. The pain was minimal. The recovery has been swift. I am thankful for each of those things.

As I reflected on the experience, I could not imagine being an oral surgeon, poking around mouths like that. YUCK! That does not seem like a good time to me. And yet, God has gifted each of use with unique gifts and talents for service in His Kingdom. What a blessing it is to have people that have this interest and gift for my good and for the good of others.

This experience served to remind me of God’s good gifts to His people through the blessing of vocation — in me and in others. Thanks be to God for this amazing gift.