Time to add a sqaure to the tapestry quilt!

Just a week ago, I shared how blessed we were to have received great news about our son being nominated and chosen for the opportunity to go to the Olympic Training Center and train with the USA Olympic Team. Quite a day of being on a high! Today, quite the opposite. Our son was injured last Saturday and it is uncertain if he will be able to attend and almost certain if he does, he will not be allowed full participation. I am not sure what hurts him more right now, his fractured collar bone and separated shoulder.... or his heart.

Just a couple of hours before the injury occured on Saturday I made a post on my Facebook while sitting at the gas station. The news of the terrible Chille earthquake had made the news and I was pretty taken by the devastation there along with what is still so catastrophic in Haiti from their earthquake a month back. It was fresh on my heart as I was watching people come and go at the gas station. I thought to myself how strange it is to see people going about their normal day, most not realizing what a gift a "normal" day really is. So many times we take for granted those days. Since my son Eathan's life went from totally healthy to totally ill in a matter of one afternoon, I tend to appreciate normal more often than not. But I do take it for granted just like the rest of the world at times. This day, I wasn't. I was thinking of all the sadness and heartache those have that woke that morning to realizing so many were dead and I remembered. I posted that morning that I was thankful for that very normal Saturday and wanted to shout it outloud. Two hours later, normal left and injury arrived again.

Thankfully, it is not life threatening, and in time, he should be good as new. He is young and young bodies heal well. But it was upsetting and traumatic for this Mama none the less. As I loaded him into the car and looked into those tearful eyes, I was as scared in that moment as I was in all the moments of the emergency drives with Eathan fighting for his life. I have come to realize, as I am sure most moms do, that whether your child is terminally ill or merely has a painful scraped knee, when they hurt, you hurt deep. I was concerned Seth had reinjured his neck. I was concerned because he was in so much pain. And I was concerned because I couldn't help. Not one bit, in any way. We started the drive back into Houston for medical attention (we were in a small outside town) and I found myself helpless with nothing I could do yet again, but drive. So I drove. I looked at him about every 5 seconds, I prayed, and I drove.

After the trauma of what was wrong was over and we knew what we were dealing with, the next phase of sadness rolled in. The realization that he may have to miss out on this amazing opportunity of the Olympic Training week became the forethought. The sadness in his eyes was almost more than I could stand. We drove home pretty quiet, still uncertain if surgery was in the future or what was next, but both very sad that a dream may be fading before it ever got started... at least for now. Through out the rest of the day I was "Mother-nurse" again. Haven't done that in a long time and it was hard on my heart. Don't know who I thought of most that day... Seth or Eathan. I did what I could to bring comfort, but mostly I just prayed and had others praying too.

We got the news today that we will wait two weeks and try to let his body start healing itself and then recheck it with the specialist. He told us pretty clearly that Seth's chances of healing in time are slim... but he didn't say they were completely out. So Seth has grabbed hold of that slim chance. And that has inspired me to write my nugget for the night. Here it is... no matter what you are facing, there is always a small window where hope is found. Grab it and see where it leads. Even if it doesn't lead to where you want it to lead, it will lead you to a better place than where you would have been without any hope at all. Seth has inspired me to remember hope is always there. My living son has done for me what my son in Heaven is infamous for in his legacy. There is always something to hope for...

I have no idea if it will pan out for the immediate dream. What what I know is that my Father promised that He has plans for my son and they are plans for good and not for evil. We WILL call upon Him and we WILL seek Him with ALL of our hearts... and there we WILL find Him! (Jer. 29:11-13 my paraphrase) And when we do, no matter what DOESN'T work out, SOMETHING great will.. .because God can do nothing less that great!

So, as Eathan proved in his life AND in his death, and Seth has reminded me of again today as he grabbed a hold of hope again..... God ALWAYS gives us something to hope for... both in the immediate AND in eternity! I am grabbing that window.... come along?

In Christ,

Robin