i didn't need to...

The first week of March 2006, was a difficult week for us. My husband went on a ski trip to West Virginia with a group of men from our church...no signal to anyone's cell phone, save one man's: John. We don't normally trust anyone enough to take care of our children in our absence, so letting my "Mr. Mom" husband leave for a few days was tough, but he needed it. I know; I was a SAHM (stay-at-home-Mom) for a few years.

So, I'm at work and had just completed a review for a major test for certification when low and behold, I get what was described as a "frantic phone call from someone who sounds just like (me)." My whole being felt as though it sank as I said, "That's my babysitter." I picked up the line and she said that my 3 year-old had an accident and to not panic; he wasn't crying, but the ambulance was on its way.

What?! I nearly dropped the phone.

My sons have (had) this really cool kid-sized punching bag hanging from the ceiling on a hook in their room. The rules were: 1) Punch the bag only; 2) Don't hang or swing on it; 3) Don't hit it so hard that it knocks the items off the windowsill.

What do you think happened? Which rule was broken? #2.

My 3 year-old, in the presence of the babysitter and his brother, mind you--and you know how quick kids can be!--was punching the bag and then decided to hang on it. Doing so caused the hook-screw to fall from the ceiling and pop his eyeball! Seven hours later, he was in his little bed in the hospital after receiving 15 stitches on his globe.

What would you do? How would you react to that situation?

I surprised myself and everyone around me!

I remained calm and immediately began to contact the closest family to me: my church. They encouraged me, prayed for us, and 2 ladies stayed with me all night at the hospital until my husband arrived. Thoughts of blame ravaged through my brain as I struggled with whose fault it was: If that lady hadn't backed out...or I shouldn't have let him go skiing...or Was she even paying attention; telling the truth? But I knew that no one was at fault. In fact, the babysitter called her mom to bring her cell phone charger in case she needed to call 911.

After I made initial calls to people I could trust, I finally knew what to pray for myself and my family. As soon as I did, an awesome peace comforted my soul and I knew that everything was going to be great--not fine, but great! I could have blamed God and asked, "Why didn't you protect his eye? Prevent the screw from falling in his eye?!"

But I didn't need to.

My God is love; He's full of grace and mercy. Healing flows from His wings. In Him, we live, and move, and have our being. There is no one like Him. I can't explain why things happen the way they do. God doesn't need us to explain Him; He needs us to trust in Him, to love Him, knowing that nothing will happen to us where there is no way out, nor more than we can handle.

Do you know Him?