August 19, 2013

CPR

Many years ago I took a CPR class, but I decided it was time for a refresher, so last Saturday I took a Red Cross class. A few things have changed, particularly that there is more emphasis on chest compression and less on rescue breathing. The rationale being that there is a certain amount of oxygen in the blood, so the most important thing is keeping the blood circulating and the vital organs alive until professional help arrives.

The class started me thinking about spiritual life and death and I had to laugh. Over the years some of my unrepentant family members have become indignant with my witnessing techniques and have accused me of trying to save them. I can now in good conscious tell them that I’m simply practicing Spiritual CPR.

1 comment:

Steve Corey said...

Gail;

-----I was a little amazed when I first heard this shift of emphasis in CPR practice. Some folks can hold their breathe for several minutes even while doing physically strenuous things like swimming. This evidences the oxygen content of the blood. But I’ve always heard fifteen minutes underwater equals brain death. Oh my! That evidences consumption of finite supply. I suppose a body in a situation requiring CPR is under enough stress that non-vital functions have shut down, reducing oxygen consumption, thus prolonging the time the finite supply will last. And I suppose the rationale is that the rescue wagon always arrives within minutes.
-----I know little about emergency measures, but I just sense something wrong with the fit between that last assumption and the value of life. To where you hauled your conclusion speaks to the immeasurable value of life. Every moment is an opportunity for a soul to hear the alarm and wake up to the fact that the Word of God is exactly true such that taking to the knees and confessing Jesus is the Christ before death prolongs life eternally. Every moment of life is precious.
-----To what depths has foolishness run in my life? I didn’t realize until my late fifties that the rule of thumb regarding decision making is to always make the decision which provides you the most alternatives within the veins of correctness (as best you can discern correctness.) I’ve noticed my luck in life is the type which would necessitate the ambulance cleaning up a complicated mess on the other side of the county, or the one T-boned on its way by a confused motorist. Now, my life isn’t as valuable as some, for I have made and committed to the eternal decision. However, Char loves me still, and I think the minor inconvenience of refreshing the blood’s supply of oxygen would cover the possibility that the rescue people might not show up for a spell. That would give me an alternative to cover the worst possibility, and would keep Char happy.
-----It’s an OK analogy for those who’re still resisting the eternal decision: broaden your possibilities by acknowledging the Lord with all your heart, mind, and soul. Then if He is not real, no harm done, no gain, no loss. But if He is real, as the consistent evidence shows, JACKPOT!

Love you all,
Steve Corey