needles don't bother me. i can pump out a a pint in under 5 minutes. and i'm pretty sure my weight qualifies me for the daily double (sadly, my iron count counts me out!) needless (or needles) to say, i am a perfect specimen for the Red Cross. but there's something beyond that. i truly enjoy giving blood. it's kinda fun, in a strange and slightly unordinary way. and you have to admit, the treats they give post-dono are delish.
but seriously. giving blood is something that fascinates me. they take a pint of my life supply -- the thing that keeps all my organs running, my brain functioning, my body healthy and clean -- they just take it, and freeze it until someone needs it. to be honest, the first few steps seem to not be in my favor. i get stuck with a needle, they rob me of a bit of my life, and then they freeze it like a piece of cow (or a bag of veggies, for you non-animal eating friends). but then...something magical happens. someone is a victim of a tragic accident. a car runs off the road. a body is racked and stripped from cancer. a fire happens. it is then that my blood truly becomes a gift, perhaps the very thing that helps to save a life. they take something that, to be honest, my body hardly misses and has already replaced, and they are able to transfuse it into someone else's desperate need. is that not so incredibly cool?! and, not only that, but the blood that i give goes to anyone -- i am able to somehow impact any victim in need of "life"...and that is incredibly humbling.
giving blood essentially = giving life. and this, this is where God nudged my heart and reminded me, "That's what my Son did for you." see, it is through the blood of Jesus Christ that i am able to live. Christ did not just give a donation, he didn't go up to the Roman guards and be like, "hey! a pint's gonna be enough, right? let me roll up the sleeve of my robe and you can stick it to me!" because, if you think about it, one pint probably wouldn't cover all that much. i imagine Christ & His blood, and the fact that a simple donation wasn't enough. No, it had to be all of it, a complete sacrifice, the entire life of Christ, so that generations before, and generations after, would be covered in the blood of Christ. Through His blood, we are able to truly find life. Its not just the physical life that Jesus sustains, but also it is the promise of life that's everlasting. The power of the blood. This is a beautiful, overwhelming, and empowering concept. The fact that Jesus' blood was shed thousands of years ago, but, like my blood that is kept until it is needed, Jesus's blood is waiting to be used for the generations to come. And soon, we will celebrate the birth of our Savior, and I am just reminded today that this is why we celebrate. This is why we worship. This is why we do not have to give up our life, but rather find it in Christ.
i'm not trying to give a plug for the Red Cross (though I am a seriously supporter of this!) but i am just reminded how the Lord nudges and teaches through strange and beautiful ways. i am reminded of how amazing it is to be alive and that this life i have is a precious gift. thank the Lord for blood!
(oh, and donate today! needles really aren't that scary, promise!)
