As blood gushed out of my son's head, "Not again!" I cried. We had friends over to celebrate my 35th birthday and I was about to cut and enjoy my delectable birthday cake. Everyone sang happy birthday to me, as I quickly cut the chocolate cake, but no leisurely enjoying. Instead off to Urgent Care we raced.
It all began on a beautiful sunny day in late October. My future lawn mowers were only 3 and 5 years old, so I was the one mowing our large yard. (As an exercise physiologist by trade, no riding lawn mower, only embracing all the functional exercise while pushing the mower.) I had only one quick section to finish before we were heading in for F.O.B.-"flat on your bunk" napping or reading or whatever as long as you were quiet and on your bed. Suddenly the boys started screaming. I said a quick prayer, "Lord, just one more short row to finish. Please help the boys stop fighting." As I turned to shush the boys' battle, I freaked out. Markus had a huge gash with blood flowing freely from his forehead. "Oh no! My child is going to be brain damaged!" I thought, as I saw deep into his head. Quickly I grabbed a handful of towels for for him to hold on his wound, whoosed the boys into the van, and rushed to Urgent Care. (My memory is that on the way I called my doctor husband to get our surgeon neighbor who worked down the hall to meet us in U.C, but since that was before cell phone, maybe I just called from our home phone before leaving?!)
Even though they put in several layers of stitches, thankfully the wound was not all the way into his brain as I imagined, and the doctors assured me there was no brain damage. My poor son, who was just trying to help by moving our pool off the lawn, was hurting big time. (He had picked up our plastic baby pool to move it off the grass, but it was too heavy for him to control and his forehead slammed into the cement half wall on the edge of our patio as he was pulled down.)
Jump forward several weeks to my birthday. my son had his stitches removed in the morning. Towards the end of my birthday dinner, the boys had been excused from the table to go play until we were ready for birthday cake. Once again, I heard the boys scream and turned to look as my five year old came toward me with a huge gash and blood flowing freely from his forehead. Yikes! "Boys, what happened?" My son indignantly replied that his brother would not give him a hug so he head bonked him.
Through the years, with four sons I had four lawn mowers, who had more than their fair share of blood and broken bones. They would outbid each other to get the job of mowing the lawn. (Lawn mowing was a paid chore in our household.) The boys all took great pride in keeping the yard looking good. Lawn art became a thing at our house- mowing into the grass graduation years and initials in May, a big cross at confirmation, olympic rings, "welcome back", etc.
Now my boys are off. I am back to mowing the lawn and every time, I cry...I remember the season of raising boys with great joy, but also with sadness that those days are over. Although my husband and I are on to a new season of life that also brings great joys, sometimes I just have to cry. (Now my sweet husband often mows the lawn to get his exercise.)
Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 talks about seasons. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under Heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance."
As I was writing this blog post, thinking about the title, it reminded me of Lent, the current season of the church year. I cry with sadness and great joy! This season we think of Jesus, the son of God, who came to fulfill the law and be the perfect sacrifice to pay the price of all our wrongs, by dying on the cross after a bloody beating. With great joy, I thank Jesus that He paid the price of my sins on the cross and look forward to Easter when Jesus arose conquering death. All believers in Jesus will get to live in Heaven-a perfect place where "God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall be mourning nor crying
, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away." Revelation 21:4. Wow, what a season of no blood and great joy!
As we celebrate this season of Lent and Easter, sadness and great joy, I encourage you to be in church to worship and be strengthened by God's Word and a community of believers-Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter Sunday. If you do not have a church home, please reach out to me and I will help you find a church home. I want to see you in Heaven some day. Jesus is the WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.
