Breaking Bread. Breaking Bones.

This Thanksgiving I found myself particularly grateful. It has been a rough year for our family, but God has shown us His faithfulness and Love in more ways than I can even begin to tell. I awoke on Thanksgiving Day with a heart full of love and awe for my God.

Around noon I tried calling my son, Joshua, in California to wish him Happy Thanksgiving. I didn't get an answer, so I tried his dad's phone. No answer there either. I figured they had already began their day, so I decided to try them later. About 5 mins later my phone rang. It was Eddie, the kids' dad. He informed me that they were in the process of taking my son to emergency via the ambulance.

Eddie and his friends play football every Thanksgiving. It's their tradition. Josh wanted to be on the opposite team so he could 'take down' his dad. Can't say I blame him. There are days I would like to do that, too. :) Apparently, Josh was running a play and got tackled. Josh's cleat got stuck in the mud, his leg was stuck and when he was hit.....his leg snapped. Eddie knew his leg was broke, but wasn't sure exactly where. I could hear the ambulance and chaos in the background and my heart sank. The miles between us never felt so huge. I hung up and did the only thing I could do.......pray.

Eddie called me from the hospital several times to get info about allergies to medications and other miscellaneous info. All I wanted to do was talk to my son and find out how bad the break was. Eddie finally called with the news. It wasn't good. Josh broke his femur bone and it was not repairable. He would go in for surgery at 7:30am the next morning and the doctors would insert a titanium rod into his leg. My poor boy. I have never wanted to jump in my car and drive to California more than I did at that moment. Unfortunately, I knew it was not feasible. I couldn't afford it. And truthfully.....it's probably better that I wasn't there.

I sat down to eat with my family that evening with a heavy, but grateful heart. Sad because I was so far away when my son needed me the most. Grateful because no matter how bad of a break it was, it was repairable. He wasn't paralyzed. He wasn't dead. Grateful that I did not have to witness my son going through that moment that would've haunted me for the rest of my life. Grateful that our God is so loving that I was able to have peace in moments where there should have been none.

This is how my son spent Thanksgiving:

Without his mom, but with a God who loves Him so much more than I could ever dream of.

Thank you, Jesus!