Redemption

In applying for new health insurance for S's new job we were asked to give detailed account of any medical treatment we have had in the last FIVE YEARS.

Excuse me?

FIVE YEARS?! I can't even remember the last time I had 8 continuous hours of sleep, let alone every medical detail anyone in our family has experienced in the last FIVE YEARS!

Not only did they want to know dates, procedures, diagnoses, they wanted to know medications, dosages and frequency of medications. Surprisingly it wasn't quite as hard as I thought it might be and the specifics I couldn't remember I just guessed.

We filled out our application online and apparently even that did not provide enough detail because I received a call a few days later from an underwriter wanting more information about several conditions we had reported on our app.

One of the issues she wanted more info on was our infertility, specifically the endometriosis I had treatment for. What had been done, when, what results occurred, what subsequent treatments have been done, any recurrence...? She asked me several questions more than once. There are certain times in my life now when I have a hard time believing we went through all that. It seems like such a long ago period of our life when I see my squealing toddler running through the house and cuddle my little baby girl.

That's why I was caught so off guard by my emotional reaction to all her questions. I had to bite my lip several times through our conversation to keep from crying. I felt like once again my privacy was being violated by a complete stranger wanting to know the ins and outs of my painful past in order to make a judgement on paper as to my health condition. I wanted to scream, "THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" and hang up. I just kept wondering through the rest of the day if that dark period of my life will ALWAYS follow me.

And yet our sermon at church Sunday was a perfect reminder to me about the value of remembering our past when living in today. How can we really appreciate the power of redemption without remembering what we are redeemed from? As long ago as our years of infertility seem, they have greatly influenced who I've become today with a heart for hurting people. God has worked His redemption through my life in so many ways: healing my empty womb to allow me to carry children, healing my heart from the pain of my past, healing my soul that would otherwise be destitute and hopeless without Him.

Maybe God knew I needed that phone call from an unknowing underwriter to remind me of His Great Power in my life.