Last week, I learned a few things… I learned not to pretend I was 20 years younger than I am. I learned that you really ‘can’ hit your head in a bicycle wreck. I learned that stitches on your ear are really irritating.

I’m recovering very well, thanks to all for your prayers. I’m going today to get those pesky stitches out. Most of the road rash has healed up pretty well. I still have some bruising in my ribs, but otherwise I’m getting back to normal.

In VBS last week, ‘Tracker Jill’ (In our skits every night) had an injury to her finger. Everywhere she touched, she hurt, so she was all bandaged up from head to toe. I asked her to try and see if my shoulder was hurting (This was before my wreck!), and sure enough, when she touched it, it was! She said, “I feel your pain!” Of course, it was just the paper cut on her finger causing her pain everywhere she touched, but since my wreck, I’ve thought a lot about that line.

Most times, if I’m not careful, I’ll see somebody get hurt and my first thought is, “Rub some dirt on it and keep going.” Most ‘injuries’ I’ve had haven’t really crippled me that much so that I couldn’t do things for myself. This wreck changed that though. There wasn’t much at all I could do for myself for a couple of days. Becky has been awesome during this whole thing, catering to my every need. (and most of my wants!)

So now, when I see someone hurting, I may not know all about what they’re going through, but I can feel their pain. Zidane was cutting his bottom two teeth shortly after we got him. I knew he was hurting, but did he have to be all that upset about it? Well, to him, that’s probably the worst pain he knows. Once in a while, Kyeli will find a door to smash her fingers in. Though she’s been told ‘no, leave that alone,’ you can’t help but feel compassion for her because that hurts! Of course neither Becky or I took the attitude, “Rub some dirt on it, you’re alright.” We comforted Zidane and kissed Kyeli’s fingers. My point is it changed my perspective on it a little bit.

Are we perfect? Far from it. But sometimes God allows things to happen to get our perspective back on track. Looking back, I would never choose to do it again, but today I say it was worth it.

I pray that God won’t have to teach me these things over and over again, that I’ll remember them when He blesses us with children of our own some day. I look forward to that day. Will you help us reach our goal to see that day?