Help! I’ve Super-Glued My Fingers!

Yes, the title is true.  I have super-glued my fingers together and I admit there were several minutes of panic and pain.  Pain?  Yes.  Did you know,  if you put a lot of super glue on your skin,  it begins to feel like fire, scorching you alive?  Well, it does.  Please just trust me and don’t try to find out for yourself.

It all started with very good intentions.  A few weeks ago when Mom and I were rearranging her bedroom, we moved her dresser from one side of the room to the other.  In our furniture moving venture we managed to chip a small corner of the dresser.  I had the piece and determined  I would glue it back on.  This was going to be a piece of cake.

I made certain both the piece of chipped off wood and the place it had come from were free of any debris.  Next I removed the cap from the tube of super glue.  Then I gently squeezed to put a few drops onto the piece of wood.  Ah, a problem.  No drops squeezed out.  I squeezed a bit harder.  Hmmmm strange.  This had never happened before.  The tube was nearly full.  What was the problem?  I took a small pair of scissors and snipped off a bit of the nozzle.  Probably plugged up,  I told myself.  I squeezed gently again.  Still nothing.  What in the world?!  I squeezed again with care.  Not one drop from that tube!   How dare that brute of a tube defy me!  I would show the tube!  Squeeeeeeze haaaaaarrrrrd!  Sploosh!  Ohhhh no!  A puddle of super glue on the dresser!  Ahhhhhh!  Panic!  I took a tissue from my pocket to mop up the puddle but the glue seeped quickly through the tissue and took hold of my skin.  Oh no!  My forefinger and middle finger were sticking together!  I attempted to flick the tissue away with my thumb!  Oh no!  My thumb was now stuck to my other two already stuck-together fingers!  Ahhhh it’s burning!

I run to the kitchen sink yelling as I go.  My mother runs into the kitchen to see what was the matter.  “I’ve super-glued my fingers together!”  I yell out while the faucet is running full blast onto my fingers.  A soggy tissue dangles and mangles itself all around my fingers.  “They won’t come apart!”  I call out expecting some words of comfort or help from my mother.  I hear nothing.  Oh wait, I do hear something.  Laughter bordering on hysterical!  Imagine that – my own mother in my time of trial reacting like I’m putting on a comedy for her.  Well…laughter is infectious; soon, I too was laughing so hard I lost my breath.  I couldn’t speak for several moments.  What a predicament.

When I composed myself I suggested we go on the internet and google in how to remove super glue from skin.  There was indeed some information.  We followed the instructions and made a mixture of vinegar, dish washing liquid, and warm water.  I soaked and gently worked my fingers and after some minutes they gradually came apart.  I’m still removing bits of glue and tissue from my fingers….and palm of hand…….and wrist…..and elbow.  Don’t ask, I don’t know how it got to my elbow.

As I was soaking my hand in the solution, watching a blister form on my thumb, and listening to my mother still chuckling behind me I could suddenly in my memories hear my dad’s voice.  He had a quick wit and very dry sense of humor.  I imagined him there and easily heard him say something like, “I didn’t know you could be so stuck-up,” or “You sure are stuck on yourself, aren’t’ you.”  I could see his serious face and twinkling eyes.   I laughed some more.

A little while later, when my hands were free, I settled back with a nice, steaming mug of tea.  (The Brits really do know what they’re talking about – tea helps any crisis.)   I recalled again how I had thought of my Dad and could hear his words in my mind.  I smiled some more as I thought of both my fathers.  I so often remember the words of my earthly father and I remember  the words of my Heavenly Father.

When I feel I’m carrying a heavy burden I hear my Heavenly Father say, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.”  Matthew 11:28

When I feel I’ve failed God- again, I hear His words speak to me from Philippians 2:13 “For God is working in you, giving you the desire to obey him and the power to do what pleases him.”

Sometimes when I look at the world around me and see such chaos and difficulty everywhere, I hear His words from I Timothy 2:1-4 “I urge you…pray for all people.  As you make your requests, plead for God’s mercy upon them…for He wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth.”

I continued sipping my tea, nursing my blister, picking pieces of super glue from here and there, and smiling, being happy for memories of my earthly father’s words and thankful for living words from my Heavenly Father that guide me daily.