The Heart Is More Than A Muscle

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The Heart Is More Than A Muscle
by April Shenandoah, Columnist

February 13, 2003

Columnist April Shenandoah The heart, being a symbol of love, decorates Priscilla's Coffee Shop windows in Toluca Lake, CA, in Valentine style. Stores are filled with cards, cups, dishes, t-shirts and everything imaginable donning them. February 14th is "heart" day. Valentine's Day is a favorite time for most women, and I'm no different. Expressing love to others and receiving attention from those near and dear lifts the human spirit.

My Valentine attention always turns to my special Niece, Adina Hoyt, who lives in Muncy, PA -- it's her birthday! Five years ago, on her seventeenth birthday, I was feeling a little sad that I wasn't with her and decided to go for a walk. When I stepped outside I looked up into the sky, and behold, there was a great big heart freshly drawn by a skywriter. It seemed as if it was just for me! I ran for the camera, snapped several pictures, and later framed it for Adina.

Once upon a time, I was told by my friend Larry, "the heart is just a muscle." I never really believed that he believed that. He was a man racked with pain and was trying as hard as he could not to feel his true emotions. However, I knew his heart was as big as all out doors. Besides, his tears gave him away. Without going into his story (a book will be written) he met his tragic death in May of 2000. Ironically, his heart saved someone's life. In fact, I am told the organs he donated saved many lives. My heart's desire is to one day meet the man or woman who is walking around with Larry's heart.

Research has shown that when one heart is implanted into another person that the recipient takes on traits of the person the heart came from. One story that comes to mind is of a woman who received the heart of a young man. This woman was not a drinker, but after receiving her new heart she heard herself say, "I want a beer." Recently someone told me of a movie that brought this concept home with a script that had a man receive the heart of a murder -- the man eventually began to entertain murderous thoughts. Personality traits and cravings change for many who have experienced living with someone else's heart. This is because -- the heart is not just a muscle!

Every 23 seconds the heart pumps the blood reaching every cell -- life is in the blood -- God is the giver of life. Our hearts are individual and personal to God. The Bible says, "For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) Though our emotions are stored in our computer brains, the heart processes them, and what comes out of our mouth reveals the condition of our heart. The heart is who we are, our soul, the main computer chip.

People have literally died from a broken heart. Think about it, when we hurt, I mean really hurt; we clutch our chest/heart, because of the pain - thus the term "heartache." Though the heart is the place of love, it can also be filled with anger, bitterness, and unforgiveness, which will eventually cause emotional or physical illness. God restores and renews the heart, and the mind, when we ask.

Valentines Day is a good time to take inventory of our "hearts." The purest state of any heart is one that displays unconditional love and is filled with Faith, Hope and Love -- the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 is known as the love chapter and says: Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous, love does not brag, and is not arrogant, does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth…Love never fails. ***

Photo of April Shenandoah courtesy of GOPUSA

April Shenandoah's Internet home is: http://www.politicsandreligion.tv