“Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” (Pick a Card Series)
July 9, 2023
Many years have passed since singing “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” in elementary school. However, I was reminded of this song whenever I took my parents to their doctors’ appointments. Each time I went with them to their checkups, I learned something new about anatomy. I learned how dental health was related to heart health, and how eye health could be a predictor of length of life.
Notice I said I learned from my parents’ health visits. When Dad passed away last August, I returned to my own doctors for the first time in over ten years. While I do not recommend placing self-care on hold for a decade, it was simply the reality of my schedule while caring for my parents. So, now that I am in a long-term relationship with my primary care physician and my endodontist, in particular, I continue to be reminded of the “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” song. More than that, however, I am reminded of Psalm 139:14 and of how fearfully and wonderfully we are made.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
Written by King David, renowned as a man after God’s own heart, Psalm 139 is a deeply intimate and personal prayer. It explores the omnipresence and omniscience of the Creator, emphasizing His intimate knowledge of every individual from the moment of conception. Within this psalm, verse 14 serves as a pivotal point, reminding us of the incredible beauty and uniqueness of our creation.
The Hebrew word used for “fearfully” in this verse implies a sense of awe and reverence towards God’s workmanship. Similarly, “wonderfully” comes from a Hebrew meaning remarkable, astonishing, or beyond comprehension. This verse encapsulates the idea that each human being is an awe-inspiring masterpiece, intricately designed by God.
My informal education increases as I continue to visit each of my doctors and learn the incredible connections between dental health and heart health or bleeding in the rear of your eye and stress and blood pressure. These are fascinating scientific relationships that serve as reminders of how marvelously God created our bodies – head, shoulders, knees, and toes! And because of that, I praise God for I am His fearfully and wonderfully made creation!