Bone from my bone, flesh from my flesh.

This weekend I awoke around 2:30am on Sunday morning in excruciating pain.

The pain was heavy and overwhelming so much that it awoke me from sleep.

There was no way I could ignore this pain and go back to sleep for there was no position I found comfort and relief from. The pain was in my upper back between my shoulder blades, and extended down into my lower back. I felt sick and my left arm felt a bit strange.

I awoke and began crying in pain and confusion. I sought some explanation from Google, as I knew I hadn’t strained it!

With my symptoms aligning with possible heart attack for a female, and the pain not easing we called for medical help. I ended up in hospital, not returning home till around lunchtime.

I was given the all-clear for any heart attack, blood clots or lung trouble, and the only thing we can think of is a likely MSG food reaction, because we’d dined Saturday evening at a local Chinese restaurant which we later found out uses MSG unless requested otherwise. My older sister is allergic to MSG and it seems most likely I am now also. After returning home I slept and slept, awaking briefly on and off. I finally felt mostly better Monday morning. I am very relieved I have been given the all-clear medically. 

Family and relationship are so important to God. Jesus healed people restoring them back into their community and as a way for them to see who He was – As a testimony that He was and is, the way for them and us to become reconciled as God’s children. It's so difficult when your health doesn't allow you to be in community with others. Poor health is debilitating in so many ways!

We need to be there for each other when we are unwell and love one another as family, bearing one another's burdens.

My eldest son said to his brother’s today, in regards to them needing to get along better, “We share 50% of the same DNA!”

It made me think again about how important family is, and it made me think of Adam’s declaration, “Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh”.

In truth, marriage is not the most important thing in the world – Family is. Firstly, becoming a part of God’s family and then loving our own and community. We need to treat each other as brothers and sisters with God’s agape love – AS FAMILY – whether we’re married or single!

When the music and glamour of good times fade, as Christians we are left with God’s blessing of the bond of family. As his children and therefore as brothers and sisters, single or married, we are family and should treat each other as such.

Love Melanie.