It is amazing, how our youngest Joseph can turn something so simple such as walking into a safety hazard. Last Wednesday afternoon I had just gotten his big sister Emily into her bed for a nap and before I laid him down for a nap I decide to Mhmm...take care of some business. So he follows me into the bedroom, just hanging out with Mommy, and he's just walking around....thump, thump, thump, thud, WAHHHHH! So I hurry up rush out of the bathroom where he is just a few feet away, grab him up and begin to asses the damage. At first I couldn't figure out where he was hurt, but I knew he was, then I saw what looked like a small scratch just above the outside corner of his left eye. Sitting him on the bathroom counter I looked him over and discovered the scratch was a gash. He stopped crying soon after and whimpered only occasionally. But I was an absolute mess.
"Emily! Get up! Come here! Get your shoes on!" I was yelling for her to get up,yelling for her to hurry. Trying to calm down I told her Joseph hurt himself and we had to take him to the hospital. We hurried out to the car, got buckeled in and headed down the road to the hospital. While on the way I asked Emily to sing to her brother and talk to him because it was his naptime and he kept turning his head to the side trying to go to sleep. She was so great singing in the back, clapping her hands along as she sang. He even laughed a time or two at her. While we waited the two played. At one point the nurse came in to talk to me. As we talked, I noticed out of the corner of my eye Emily quickly began stuffing toys and coloring pages back into my purse. After the nurse left I asked her what she was doing(thinking she might want to play or color more) to which she replied, "getting ready to go." Listening to the conversation, she thought we were getting ready to leave and was helping get ready. We waited a bit longer and the two attending nurses came back in to put in a couple of stitches. I had Emily sit down at the front of the room while I sat near the bed and held onto Joseph's foot. I don't think it made much of a difference to him, he was too busy screaming while they held him down and stiched up the corner of his eye. But I wanted to hold him, even in all the commotion and that was all I could hold onto for the moment. One nurse held him down while the other stitched him up. The one holding him down began to sing in an attempt to calm the him. Emily chimed right in singing one of the tunes she learned in school. I started boo-hooing because although everything was allright it was still just so awful. We were supposed to be home, snug in our own beds, not all three spending our afternoon in the ER on a hospital bed. And then they were done. I picked Joseph up held him close and kissing him, whispered, "You did so great, I love you so much." Emily looked at me and asked if he was going to be okay, "Yes baby," I replied "he's just fine, God always takes care of us." In that moment I was literally eating my own words. See earlier in the week my husband and I were having a conversation, I was worried about some things and commented how I wouldn't be suprised if this or that happened. I wasn't giving God much of a chance to take care of us, and He lovingly reminded me of this, I knew it in my heart and shortly after the conversation asked for forgiveness. One the way home from the ER I realized the profoundness of those few comforting words I had spoken to Emily, "God always takes care of us." And He does. I also realized how something I already knew, (but it's always a delight to be reminded) how amazing my kids, the kids God gave me, are. Joseph with his royal blue stiches, underneath a bandage covering half of his eyelid and eyebrow, came home with as much energy as if he had been naping all along. Madalynn was such a big help with her songs, and attempts to get us ready to go. Although I tried to call my husband home from work to watch her, I am glad she came along with us, she was such a blessing to my heart that day. Just as I was holding onto Joseph screaming and crying as they stitched him up, I know my Heavenly Father was holding onto me in my pain and distress.
I have been holding onto this one for awhile, I had it written, but it didn't seem finished. You know Jesus took care of so many people in the Bible, but there is one story that I think is just so tender and sweet. He was fully God in nature, and yet he was also fully man in nature. I think this account so strongly speaks of his manhood. I was reading the other night in John 19, around verses 25-30. This is where Jesus is on the cross, shortly before His death. In verse 25 we are told that His mother was standing near Him at the cross. I can't imagine seeing one of my babies in such a state and not being able to do anything to help make it better. In the next verse He saw His mom and one of His disciples whom He especially loved standing by. He then in the next two verses and two simple statements, "Woman, behold thy son!" to His mom, and to the disciple, "Behold, thy mother!", ensured His mom would be taken care of when He was gone. Shortly after in verse 30, His work was finished and He "gave up the ghost." As I read this my heart was so moved, I actually teared up. I think this is one of the most tender stories of Jesus in the Bible. As I was reading I was reminded of this story I had been holding onto. I remembered how my heart swelled in the ER that day when I noticed that Emily had gathered up our things and was helping to get ready to go. How sweet that was that she was trying to help me. I also remembered the powerful words I spoke to her as we left, "God always takes care of us." Those words are life to those who believe in Him, they are sustenance, for that is how we still are, because He keeps us so.
"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost." John 19:25-30
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