Faith bandaids

Our backpacking trip was so much fun.

But little did KJ (that's our little nickname for the two of them at our house) know what was just around the corner for them. They were all ready a little down and out about a bad car purchase, but when Jason landed (no pun intended) in the hospital

for three days from a nasty fall off a truss he was working on,

they began to wonder why bad things happen to two kids just trying to get a little ahead in life.

The Lord was looking out for him that day. He didn't land on his head, neck, or back. Any of those could have killed him or paralyzed him. He didn't land on feet which may have resulted in a broken leg or two. He didn't land on his right side where he had a pocket full of nails that could have done some damage.

Instead, he landed on his left side with his elbow taking the brunt of the concrete floor he came in contact with. For some reason, I just don't think his elbow is supposed to look like that.


This is what is looked like after surgery.

And today he was informed that he didn't need surgery to fix a break in his wrist nor did they need to cast his elbow from all the metal holding it together. Those two bits of news were a couple of tender mercies.

All this happened the week I was watching four extra kids, one in a wheelchair. I packed them up and we went to visit where Kiersten showed the kids the rock that was extracted from Jason's knee.

Not only is he out of work, but he also didn't have insurance. Watching these two struggle with this latest setback has just tugged at my mother's heartstrings as I've cried and hurt right along with them. When they were little, I could wipe away the tears, put a bandaid on the owie, give them a big kiss, and send them back out to play. The older they get, the bigger the owies. And I'm afraid I just don't have a big enough bandaid to fix this one.

But I know who does.

One morning as I was traversing seven miles through Lake Point, the question came to me, "Do my kids have enough faith to maneuver through whatever hard things will come their way? Do my kids have enough faith?" They are to the point that they can no longer rely on my faith.

And it scared me a little. Do my kids know Who has all power to fix the toughest of situations when no earthly person can. Do they know Who to turn to when their nights become even darker. Do they know Who will help them conquer those towering walls of doubt and discouragement and fear.

Faith in Jesus Christ.

That is the bandaid that will help heal these adult owies.

Christ is the master healer, the fixer of all hurts, the instiller of hope, the greatest miracle worker. Trusting that he will make things right when the world says otherwise brings the greatest peace to one's life.

I know.

I've been there.

I've experienced some of those adult owies and they can be painful.

I am eternally grateful to my Savior who is there to pick me and put me back together, metaphorically, and in the case of Jason, even literally.