Day 9 of 21-Day Sugar Fast
Are you thirsty? That’s the first symptom of dehydration. If you are thirsty, it’s time for a drink of water. Replenish and rehydrate.
I’ve shared this story publicly before, but I’m about to again because when the Lord leads, we’re supposed to follow. And He’s leading me to share this embarrassing story again, because it’s packed with a mighty lesson about our need for water.
Things To Do Before and After Donating Blood
Given that I’ve donated blood many times, I know the things to do before and after donating blood.
Before donating:
- Do eat a lot of iron-rich foods
- Do drink a lot of water, more than the normal daily amount
- Do get good sleep
- Don’t drink alcohol for 24-48 hours prior
After donating:
- Do eat a lot of healthy foods
- Do drink extra water to stay hydrated
- Don’t exert yourself (no intense physical exercise in other words)
- Don’t drink alcohol for 24-48 hours after
I’ve been obedient to follow this list, except for on December 9, 2016.
I’m Fine!
On this particular Friday, I donated blood during my lunchtime, which I had done a few times before. Donating blood has never been a problem for me. I don’t get lightheaded or nauseous, and I didn’t on this day either. In fact, I even returned to work for the afternoon.
After work, my husband and I enjoyed dinner out and then went shopping at the mall for our daughter’s birthday gift, which was just days away.
At dinner, I indulged. After all, I had donated blood and eating a lot was on my to-“Do” list for that day. However, I also indulged in a “Don’t” after donating blood. I drank alcohol. I thought, I’ve never had a problem after donating blood. I’m fine.
With the appetizers, I drank one glass of red wine. Then when dinner arrived, I thought, I’m eating a lot, and I drank enough water today. I’m fine. So, I ordered a second glass of red wine.
Dinner was delicious. My husband and I had an enjoyable time.
Don’t Say “I’m Fine” When You’re Not
I felt fine. No lightheadedness, no dizziness, no wooziness. So, we continued our date night at the local mall.
Wearing a sweater and my winter coat, I walked through a clothing store. A kind sales woman, named Michal, helped me find exactly what I wanted for my daughter’s gift.
As Michal rang up my purchase and gently wrapped the clothes in tissue, I started to feel hot. So, I took my winter coat off. I’m fine. But then I began to feel a little funny, dizzy. I’m fine. And then I began to get really thirsty. But again, I thought, I’m fine. When I’m done here, I’m going to tell Bob I need to get a drink of water.
I woke up a few minutes later sprawled out on the floor of the store. Bleeding and confused, I could hear people around me trying to talk to me. At first it sounded like I was under water. If you’ve ever passed out, you know what I’m talking about. Everything sounds muffled.
Indulging in a “Don’t”
When the paramedics arrived, they took my vitals and noticed my “donated blood” sticker on my jacket. The paramedic asked my husband, “Did she donate blood today?” After an affirmative answer, Bob also provided a little fact that contributed significantly to my demise, “She had wine with dinner.”
“How much wine?” the paramedic asked.
“Two glasses of red wine,” my husband answered.
Ugh! It’s true. I chose to indulge in a “Don’t” because I believed I was fine. I had drunk a lot of water and I guess I thought since I’d never had a problem donating blood before, I could do a “Don’t.” But indulging in that “Don’t” caused my body to deplete quickly.
A few hours later after an ambulance ride to the trauma center, a myriad of tests, IV fluids, and staples in my head, we drove home. Me, humbled and rehydrated and with a concussion.
Replenish and Rehydrate
Did you know as soon you’re done giving blood, your body begins to replace that lost water? In fact, all the hydration in your body will go toward replacing it. And your body needs to be ready with extra water when that happens. Even though I had drunk a lot of water that day, the alcohol removed that water quickly.
I knew better than to drink alcohol after donating blood. That’s why this story is so embarrassing. Drinking alcohol dehydrates the body and at a much quicker rate than other liquids. If you don’t drink enough water with alcohol, you can become dehydrated quickly regardless if you’ve donated blood. But if you have, it’s even more dangerous, as I learned.
As children of God, we should know we need to drink an abundance of the Living Water, Jesus Himself, for our souls to stay hydrated. We should also know we will be dehydrated quickly without His constant water flow. Furthermore, if we indulge in a “Don’t” for our spiritual life, it too can, and most likely will, deplete us quickly.
Just like I needed fluids to rehydrate my body after donating blood and drinking two glasses of wine, we need to replenish and rehydrate with the Living Water, after we’ve depleted ourselves. Sometimes we may even need an IV fluid of the Living Water. Meaning, when we are in dire need of His life-giving water, we better get hooked up immediately or we may collapse.
Invitation to the Thirsty
None of us are fine without physical water or God’s Living Water. We need both, and we need a lot of it. We can’t just drink one glass of water once a week and be fine. In fact, we can’t even drink just one glass of water a day and be fine. We need to constantly be drinking water every day throughout the day to stay hydrated.
It’s the same with the Living Water. We can’t just drink God’s spring of water once a week and think we’ll be fine and stay hydrated all week. We need to drink in His Living Water daily, and I believe often throughout the day to replenish and rehydrate.
The Bible says, “Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters.” Isaiah 55:1a (NIV)
And Jesus Himself said, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.” John 7:37 (NIV)
Jesus invites all of us to come and drink of His Living Water. Everyone who is thirsty is invited. And it’s free!
“It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children.” Revelation 21:6-7 (NIV)
Just like our physical body get thirsty every day, so does our spiritual body. Yet too often we choose a “Don’t” and we ignore turning on the tap water to replenish and rehydrate.
Anyone of us can become dehydrated at any time, any day. Many things contribute to our dehydration and thirst is the first symptom we experience. Are you thirsty? If you are thirsty, it’s time for a drink of water. Replenish and rehydrate.
PS
If you want to read a full and juicier version of this tale, you can by reading, The Power of Gift Giving .
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