April 2003 Letter

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Cutting Teeth

April 2003

Something has been gnawing at me over the past few babies, and the notion finally grew teeth with our youngest. Have you ever stopped to consider how inhumane, cruel & unusual and even grotesque the process of cutting teeth is for an infant? I mean, what was God thinking when He decided this was the best way for the glory of His creation to get teeth?

All of us have been kept awake at night while our babies scream for no apparent reason. Runny noses. Not able to get comfortable. Gumming everything in site. We Dads get the inconvenience of a lost night's sleep and a chomped knuckle or two. It is at times like this that I am especially thankful that I am not the nursing mom!

If I were God, I would pack teeth in a bag like giblets in a turkey. That could be the first thing the doctor pulls out of the newborn's mouth, or perhaps it would be delivered with the placenta. At any rate, parents would be handed the child's first teeth at birth, for safekeeping. You could keep them in the same place you keep their social security card.

Then, when the child is ready (and perhaps more importantly, when Mom is done nursing), an adult would install the teeth. Straight. No orthodontics required. Ever. Perhaps they could even come with a handy template that could be used to ensure their perfect alignment. I am pretty sure God could design a kit that even a man could get right without having to read any directions. These teeth would snap down into place after the protective root-hole covers were removed and discarded.

No excruciating pain. No slobbering. No trips to the doctor to find out they are really OK. No muss, no fuss. No braces. No wisdom teeth problems - in fact, it would be good if we could install them right around puberty.

But… (I bet you already guessed it). I am not God! I do not have my best interest in mind! I am not faithful to complete the good work He has begun in me! I am not entrusted with all of history or eternity!

I am sure you would agree that life, at times, feels like cutting teeth all over again. It just hurts. No one can help you. Friends don't understand. Those that do, can only sit and watch.

During these times it would serve us all well to seriously consider that we serve a God that not only is willing to allow his precious infants to cut teeth in excruciating pain, He also thinks it best. Ideal. Perfect. And this is just the beginning of life. Even if you don't fully understand why your situation has to be so hard, take comfort in this… the God of all creation thinks it is best.

Brett Adams

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