I'm prone to in-grown toenails. Being a do-it-yourself kinda gal, I've learned how to surgically remove them. It's painful, but has to be done, and is so much better when all behind me.
An in-grown nail is interesting. It willfully and purposefully lives a life seperate from that of its owner (namely me!). It pushes slowly but steadily into the soft flesh of the unsuspecting toe until one day a bump on that toe reveals its unwelcomed existance. At that moment, I am faced with a choice: 1. Extract and suffer the painful consequences yet eventual healing OR 2. Let it alone and suffer the painful consequences and eventual infection. I've tried both and now willingly opt for #1.
Currently I am finding in-grown somethings (don't know what to call them - issues maybe?) in my heart. I know they're there because comments have bumped up against them and I recognize the pain of something that needs to be removed, that doesn't belong. I don't think I can pull these out on my own though. Pictures of Much-Afraid's actions (Hinds Feet on High Places) play in my mind. Take the hand of Suffering and Sorrow...jump...lay down on the alter.
I know what I have to do. Extraction is inevitable and the Surgeon Shepherd is gently calling. I'll probably just push on those areas for a bit to see if they are really that tender, or can they possibly wait. That's an awful big alter, you know.
