Clay in the Hands

Have you ever known someone whose given name reflected their occupation or career?  Such as Mr. Farmer who farms for a living or Mrs. Cook who works in the school cafeteria?

Last night we spent some time in the emergency room at the hospital with family friends whose son was in a car accident yesterday afternoon.  No one was seriously injured but our friends’ son cut his hand badly and needed surgery last night.  I was in the room when the surgeon came in and introduced himself.  When he told us his name, I knew what my post would most likely be today.  His name . . . Dr. Mulligan.  My questionable sense of humor nearly got the better of me but I was able to restrain my wit until we reached the waiting room.

For those of you not familiar with golf, and the way people like me play the game, a “mulligan” is what you call for when you hit a bad shot and you request to hit another.  In formal play, a mulligan is not allowed but the way I play, we try to keep it to one or two per 9 holes.  At any rate, a mulligan is a “do over.”

Maybe its just me, but I found it quite comical that the surgeon performing the procedure was named, Dr. “Do Over.”

However, he was excellent.  He had an immediate connection with the patient and did a great job informing and calming everyone in the room.  The surgery was a great success and his ability carried into the waiting room after the procedure as well.  He was outstanding.

Here is my thought for today: we don’t choose our name – we are born with it.  We don’t chose where we are born or to whom.  But we do have the ability to choose how we will live and what kind of difference we will make in this world.

I challenge you today, regardless of what life seems to have dealt you, to make a positive and real difference in someone else’s life before you go to bed tonight.

Let me know how that goes.