Snakes and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails...

As a mom of boys, I've come to expect it. It's not the first time, and it certainly won't be the last, but still my mama's heart lurches from my chest each time one of our boys gets hurt.

There was the time that our middle son unknowingly stepped (barefoot) into a fire pit of still-burning embers...or the day last spring when our oldest fell from a tree and sprained his ankle. And then there was yesterday when our sons and their cousins were having a blast together as they played "Granny," a game they'd invented. As they chased one another around the yard on that beautiful spring day, our middle son fell and split his chin open on the cement. Though at first I thought it was just a simple abrasion, it wasn't long before we realized it was indeed more than that.

I whisked him away to the ER, and as I sat beside him, I marveled at this son before me. It's not often that he and I have quiet one-on-one time with no one else around. And as we waited for him to be treated and for the numbing gel to take effect, we had precious moments to connect with one another.

I looked...really looked...at this amazing little man before me. I noted how tall he's getting, how his face is changing from that of a little boy to that of a handsome young man. I commended him for his bravery and wished that I could protect him from the pains of this world. Yet I know that's not possible, and God is using these hard times to teach our son (and me) even more of His faithfulness. He's teaching our son that He can be trusted...that He's carrying him and caring for him even throughout the fears of visiting the emergency room. Someday there will be pains larger than a split-open chin...pains that cut to his very soul. How I pray that even now, our sons are learning that they can cast their burdens upon their heavenly Father and rest confidently in His all-sufficient arms.

We were thankful to hear that the doctor would be able to glue our son's chin back together...no stitches were required. That's some amazing stuff! But I pray that yesterday's injury reminds our son and me of God's ability and all-sufficiency in every need we face.

"He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." Psalm 147:3