One Scary 15 minutes

Yesterday, I had probably the scariest 15 minutes of my life. At least, I can't remember a scarier quarter of an hour. It led to an interesting and exhausting day to say the least. 

As the kids were walking to the car yesterday morning, Coop told me his stomach was upset. I remember being a kid and telling my mom I had an upset stomach on days I didn't want to go to school.  I told him, "Give it a try and if your stomach doesn't feel better then go to the nurse and have her call me". So, at 8:30 Margaret got that call. Evidently, I we missed his fever. I figured no big deal. It has been a busy week, and I could use a day watching cartoons and hanging out with Coop. 

We went to pick up my computer from the office and ran a couple of errands because Coop was acting just fine. I could tell his stomach was a upset cause he didn't eat much of his taco when we stopped for some food. We headed home and declared a "Voltron" marathon for the day as coop was recuperating.

We were talking as we watched TV. I was telling him how I used to watch this show all the time when I was a kid. We were having a great time. About 11:35, I asked him something and looked over and he didn't move. I said his name and he didn't respond. I had a bad feeling so, I got up and noticed he had wet himself and still wasn't moving. I grabbed his shoulder and said his name to wake him up. His mouth was filled with saliva and it just came poring out. I yelled his name and still had no response from him. I grabbed my phone and dialed 9-1-1 as I checked for a pulse and breathing. I noticed his ear was red as a firecracker so I know he was burning up.

 I was really starting to stress as I waited for the emergency operator to pick up four different times I hear, "Thanks for calling Bexar County Emergency Services, all operators are busy with other emergencies at the moment and will be with you as soon as possible" At least it was something like that and then that repeated in Spanish. Each time I got that message, I freaked out just a little bit more. I was beginning to think I needed to pick him up and carry him outside and see if any of my neighbors could help. I thought I needed to keep him still cause I didn't want to mess anything up. I thought it might be a seizure, I remembered from some first aid class years ago to put him on his side and make sure nothing was blocking his airways. I did that and continued to yell his name and get more angry as the emergency operator finally answered the phone. 

She told me to calm down as I was speaking pretty loud when I gave her my address and described what was going on. I blew in Coop's face cause I thought that might help him breathe or something. I don't know maybe I was hoping my bad breath would work like smelling salts and snap him out of it. During all this, he finally opened his eyes. It was pretty much like a deer in the head lights type of look. I still couldn't get him to say anything or move or make any kind of motion to let me know he was snapping out of this. The emergency lady on the phone asked if I knew what his temperature was. I grabbed the thermometer on the kitchen counter and tried to use it. Pressed the button and ran it across his forehead. It said 71.4. I wanted to cuss. About that time I could hear sirens. The lady on the phone told me to put away in animals that may cause problems. I stepped back and looked out the front window and saw a fire truck pulling up in front of my house. Finally, Coop moved. He even said, "Dad" very quietly. I finally took a breath. 

Before I knew it half a dozen people were in my living room looking him over. I told them what happened. I picked him up and put him on the gurney. The EMT's looked at him and every time they asked him how he was the response was "Good". You could tell he was still out of it and that was just an automated response. I found out what hospital they were taking him to and at that point I knew it was safe to call Mom. I called Marge and told her as calm and quick as I could what happened and where we were going. She said she was on the way to the hospital and would meet us there. We loaded onto the ambulance and headed out. 

About a month before this happened we were watching an episode of "Shark Tank". Coop saw this thing on there that was a sticker that takes your temperature. He thought that was the coolest invention. The EMT put one on his forehead while we were at the house. He started actually talking to me while we were on the ambulance to the Hospital. I asked him if he knew he had one of those stickers on his head. He reached up and felt it and just smiled. I am really starting to feel better at this point. I called the church to get the pastors praying and let them know what was going on. 

We walked into the Emergency room from the ambulance. Went straight to a room and got him hooked up to monitors and nurses were there taking his vitals. Mom got there and sat down with him. It was okay for me not to step away for a minute.  I got up left the room and bawled. I don't think I have ever been so scared in my life. 

All this to say, if you are a parent, take a first aid class. Be prepared for the unlikely. Coop has never had a seizure before. I hope he never has one again. The doctors are pretty sure it was a freak thing that won't happen again. We are going to a neurologist in a couple of weeks to make sure he checks out okay. I am just relieved that my little boy is back home today sitting with me watching Voltron and He-Man laughing as he is feeling better. I just hope you are more ready than I was. So, please take a class be ready. 

Wondering about the pumpkin patch

Where do they grow pumpkins? We take our kids to pumpkin patches each year. We run around doing games like stuff the scarecrow and blackberry mazes. We may pick a pumpkin out of a pile of pumpkins. Paint it or take it home and carve it into a jack o lantern. I don't think I remember seeing an actual pumpkin grow on a vine. All a pumpkin patch is anymore is a miniature carnival/ amusement park set up in the country for city folk to take a drive to the country.

I did see pumpkin vines. Did you know that when you pick a pumpkin if you let it get to hot then the seeds inside the pumpkin will start sprouting? Brought our overpriced pumpkins home from the pumpkin patch (I actually shouldn't say that I don't know how much my wife spent on the pumpkins. Although, I am sure she spent more than they would have been at HEB) opened the pumpkins up. Low and behold we had an entire harvest of pumpkin vines growing inside one of our pumpkins. Things you just don't know until you see them. 

What is the fascination with hay rides? I have to wonder this. You sit on square bails drive around a field at the break neck speed of 2 mph in ridiculously cold weather. And, why do we find this appealing? I hear people say all the time, "Hayrides are so much fun?" Really?  I love the people yelling at their kids not to fall out or the lack of feeling in my fingers when I am done. Sorry, just ranting a bit. 

I know that I may sound like I am complaining but all in all. A trip to the country to spend the day playing with your kids is a great day. Seeing them fish and run around with friends. Smiling and laughing as they try to rope different poles with animal pictures on them. Hanging out at the pumpkin patch (country six flags) is a great day. 

Parenting In Nature

I saw an article today showing great photographs in the wild. (http://www.grindtv.com/outdoor/blog/36760/rare+wildlife+photos+highlight+winning+entries+in+worldwide+contest/ ) Pictures of Lion's up in trees and alligators about to attack. One picture caught my eye as interesting. A picture of a young gazelle running away from four cheetahs. As they were looking on. You can see the fear in the gazelle's eyes. I think I would have the same look on my face if I was running from four cheetahs. As I read about what was happening, I found out that this gazelle was wounded by a mother cheetah. The mother didn't kill it but used this gazelle to teach her cubs, the four in the picture, how to hunt. I was blown away as I thought about the great wisdom in this. The mother cheetah understood her kids would need to be able to hunt for themselves one day. She understood that the best way for them to learn was by doing it. I was amazed at this. 

How often do we as parent's let other people teach our kids? How often do we just do stuff because we don't want to worry about it being done right? How often are we just so busy that we just do it for our kids because it takes to long? 

The majority of parenting is teaching our kids. I am not saying everyone needs to home school. I love home schoolers but I could never do that. THe people that do that successfully are amazing and have my utmost respect. I am saying we need to be involved in our kid's education and their development and not just the easy areas. It is to easy to encourage our kids to play sports or do well in school. When was the last time you encouraged your kids to read their Bible or pray? When was the last time your kids saw you read your Bible or pray? 

I remember as a kid at the beginning of each school year my parents would try and pull us in to pray before school started. It was hard for me and my sisters to take it seriously because it was never something we followed through with consistently. If we are as  dedicated to praying with our kids as we are to checking parent portal about their grades how much better would your child's spiritual growth be? If we spent as much time in God's word with our kids as we do throwing a baseball with them how much further along in discipleship would our kids' be? 

I am just saying, isn't it awesome how God has given us examples in parenting even in nature? 

But Lots wife looked back, and she became a pillar of salt. Genesis 19: 26

I grew up working on my Papaw's farm driving tractors raking hay. Basically, you take the hay and put it in straight rows for the person driving the hay bailer. The straighter the better, it helps the bailer pick up all the hay as it goes in to make bails. Every once and a while I would look back to admire work. As I turned my head, I would turn the steering wheel on the tractor too. Every time messing up the row that I was laying down. I had to learn, pick a point and drive toward it. If I did that then I never had problems with keeping the rows straight. 

We need to look specifically at Christ and use him for the point we are aiming towards. When God delivers us from something we have to take our selves and move on. God's view of stuff is straight forward. When we ask for forgiveness it is gone. As humans we can't just forget that easy.We have to make ourselves move to the next place in our lives. We say it is hard to move on. Yes it is hard to move on but nothing good ever comes from looking back on something God has forgotten. Look forward keep our eyes on the future God has for us. 

Lot's wife was to concerned with her past. She kept looking back at her life and what she had been delivered from. If she had kept her eyes forward we would probably know her as something besides Lott's wife. God has plans for all of us just keep moving forward toward him and you will make it. 

The Next Step

Moving forward is essential in everything we do. I had a teacher in high school, Mr. Hollis that once told me, "Darrell the day you quit learning is the day you are dead". I don't believe he was the first person to say that but he was the first person to tell me that and it stick. I think learning and just growing in general are important for all of us. We should always be trying new things. I believe God has called us to grow closer to him and try new things. It is important that pastor's remember growth is hard and setting people up to win is important. 

I was thinking about this the other day and how hard it must be for someone who has never volunteered in church to take the next step in volunteering. I thought about my years of ministry and how many people have come up to me and said, "Darrell, I feel like God is telling me to start helping in children's ministry". They fill out the applications and background checks are done. As you explain what the position entails you feel the excitement about growing closer to Christ and doing something for the kingdom. Then the first Sunday or Wednesday comes when the new volunteer is supposed to begin. You wake up sick or with a sick kid, get caught out the night before with some friends you haven't seen in a long time and you just can't get up, or you just can't take that next step. I am sure the Devil has no pleasure in anyone volunteering in their church. I believe that first month or two have to be super hard for someone who has never volunteered. You are taking that next step of growth. You are committing to do something that is gonna stretch you. You are committing to Jesus one more thing in your life. 

Look at Jonah, he was called to something he made up in his mind that would be impossible. He turned and went the other way from it. Finally, after he listens to God and does what he is told. He literally saves an entire city from destruction. Many times we think it is to hard to do the thing God has called us to do. We disappear in our churches on Sunday morning. Tell ourselves that the Kid's or youth pastor is to busy to talk about you volunteering right now. We can always come up with excuses and things that keep us from doing whatever it is that God has called us to do. 

I asked a Pastor once about a couple in the church that I had met but didn't know what part of the church they were plugged into. He responded that they were involved, they went to service every week and went to his Bible study on Wednesday nights. I responded with, "But, where are they plugged in?" He said they don't do anything they just attend. They were apart of the church but had not taken a step to volunteer. You will never truly get connected to God or the church until you take the step and volunteer. When you take and give more than just the required service times or even tithe you don't understand the blessings that come with that. 

All that being said, I hope you do something for your church. I hope you do something for Christ. I hope you do something to see people blessed. It almost sounds cliche  to say you will be blessed even more than them. It is true though. God has called everyone to something. God has called all of us to give something. Find that thing. Grow closer through serving. Expect it to be hard at first no matter what. Expect it to stretch you in ways you didn't even expect (even if it sounds easy). Know that you are doing something God wants you to do. 

Don't Be Holding Out On Me

Monday night, Marge came in and asked for a chocolate shake after dinner. I don't know about everyone else but if Momma wants some dessert I try and make it happen. I got my keys and was walking out the door. She asked me where I was going. I responded, "You told me you wanted a chocolate shake". She just said okay and let me leave. As I was pulling out of the driveway I get a text from her saying "Cooper wants a shake too". I thought okay, no big deal. She was thinking that I am going to run to Sonic and pick up a couple of shakes (Half price shakes after 8:30). I decided to go pick up a half gallon of ice cream and use my old mixer I have at the house and make shakes at home. Brought the stuff home. Pulled out the mixer and put a couple scoops of ice cream and milk in the cup. Turned it on. Got the ice cream smooth. Poured out shakes for everyone (except Scout, she still hates chocolate). Cooper just kept looking at me puzzled though. He was drinking the shake down, but he was looking at me funny for sure. Finally, I asked him what was wrong. He says, "How long have we had that shake maker?" I told him, it was a wedding present that we got when we were married 14 years ago. He turned and said, "Really?" He just walked away in disbelief.

The next morning Cooper got up and was getting ready for school. He turned to Marge and asked, "Did you know Dad had that Shake Maker?" She said yes he used to make them all the time. He shook his head in disbelief. I am sure he was thinking, I can't believe Dad was holding out on me, I love shakes. Tuesday night, he asked for shakes again. I may need to get a job making shakes if he keeps it up. We will see how long this trend continues?

I think we should be like this with God. I know we haven't seen all of God's power. I know we haven't seen all of God's love or grace. I know we haven't seen everything God has to offer. One morning, during one of my Dr. Goodrich classes at Southwestern (college) a girl prayed to start class like every other day. She said something that Dr. Goodrich pointed out and it stuck with me till this day. She prayed, "God help us to see more of you today". Shouldn't this be our prayer everyday? I know none of us have seen all of God. I know it is my desire to see more of him. I want to be like Cooper each day. I want to look to God and say, "hey, quit holding out on me, show me something new". I want to see a little more of his love each day. I want to see a little more of his power each day. I want to see a little more of his grace each day. I want it because I know I haven't seen it all because my God is infinite in every aspect.

I challenge to seek more of God today. Don't just expect the same old stuff either. Ask God for something new today. Ask him for the good stuff, the homemade chocolate shake if you will. I promise you it can only get better.

The Dog Bite

So, I am blessed to be married to an amazing Mother. She teaches me about parenting and creates a home that is wonderful for raising our children. I don't know if she knows how much I appreciate her, but she is the best.

Well, on Mother's day her one wish for Sunday afternoon was to take a nap, that everyone take a nap. I am always game for a Sunday afternoon nap. Nascar ran on Saturday night. Mavericks are done and the Spurs were waiting to find out who they would play in the next round of the playoffs. So, I told Cooper to let the dog out and then lay down. I proceeded to my room put on some shorts and laid down with my eyes closed. It was the makings of a great Sunday afternoon. 5 minutes into my glorious nap my son enters the room frantic...

"Dad, the dog next door got my shoe!" Cooper came in my room yelling. I got up and thought, what were you doing to ruin my nap. I know you weren't as excited about this nap as I was but you didn't have to throw your shoe in the neighbors back yard. I asked, "well, how did he get your shoe son?" He started to respond, but I think he was in a little bit of shock. I got up walked next door with him and knocked on the neighbor's door. No one was home. This whole time I am coming up with different scenarios in my head that could have caused this to happen. I have flashbacks to the movie "the Sandlot". I just can't fathom how a dog on the other side of a 6 foot tall privacy fence grabs a shoe with your foot in it and jumps back over to his yard without some help from a certain 7 year old living in my house.

We walk to the back yard and I ask Cooper, "Show me exactly how your shoe ended up in their backyard?" He takes me to a section of the fence where there is a whole about 2 inches tall by 5 inches wide. He says, "I put my foot right there and the dog grabbed my foot. He wouldn't let go, so I pulled my foot out of my shoe and he pulled it into his back yard". I pick through the slots in the pickets and can see his muddied shoe. It might as well have been a Babe Ruth baseball because I wasn't going to go get him new shoes because he let the neighbor's dog steel his shoe.

So, just to clarify, I move over by the whole and as I put my foot next to the whole ask him, "You put your foot right heOOOWWWWWWWW!" The dog bit my big toe! Pain immediately shot up my foot. I was in shock because I couldn't believe what had just happened. If anything, I was embarrassed that I did the same thing my son did 5 minutes before. I couldn't decide if I was mad at the dog for biting my toe even though he didn't know what he was biting he was just playing. Maybe I was mad at Cooper for getting that close to the fence to begin with and causing this whole mess. I was supposed to be taking a nap. I was probably just mad at myself for copying the same mistake my son just made except I didn't put shoes on. I am always harping on wear your shoes. I don't even where flip flops very often because "you never know what is going to happen".

I did learn a couple things from all of this. One, listen to your kid so you don't get bit. I should have just cooled off and realized that the space was big enough for the dog's snout. How many times do we as parent get made to look silly because we were so agitated at our kids that we don't either hear the full story or don't believe the full story? Also, just let the dog out myself on days I want to guarantee myself a nap.

Oh yeah, the neighbor's dog has his shots. I think my toe is going to be fine. I haven't started foaming at the mouth or anything like that.