My sweet BJ Dude landed kind of funny in his football game on Sept. 29, 2010. So funny was the landing, in fact, that he had to be hauled off the field in an ambulance.
Turns out he had a pretty nice dislocated elbow and a fracture that needed surgery and a pin put in it.
Following the surgery, the nurse came out to take us back to recovery. She said to us, “He is the nicest boy. Even though he is in so much pain, he keeps thanking us and saying ‘I’m sorry.'”
Immediately into my mind came these words, “the measure of a man’s character is not how he acts when things are going good, but how he acts under adversity. Your son has great character.” I almost became emotional as I thought about this brave 12 year old boy who was being so tough and only cried when talking about the play– landing on the one yard line instead of in the end zone, how the pain felt, and what it was like looking down at his arm all cock-eyed.
Yes, this “man” had character. I, on the other hand, nearly jumped across the bed and kicked the Dr. in the shins when he was putting his arm back in socket. The Dr. is a good friend of ours and I couldn’t figure out why he would not knock him out for this procedure. I wasn’t thinking too Christlike at that moment. Yet my boy was brave and kind.
What a great lesson to me in how I need to face my trials and adversities– with “thank you’s” and “I’m sorry’s” and remembering to be Christlike. I will always be grateful to my sweet son!