A Miracle

Recently, we had an elder ordination for our church. There were lots of visitors, so the church had rented a civic center to house everyone. After the first set of services, we had lunch and afterwards, a lot of us mothers took advantage of the sunshine and took our little ones outside to play, until the next services which were to start at 2:30. I put my youngest children, my son and two foster daughters on a grassy spot and gave strict instructions they could not go past the cement border, because I didn't want them out in the parking lot. My 14 year old son Beau sat at one end, I sat at the other, and my 11 year old daughter helped to keep them within that area. There was a three foot drop off, but I didn't worry about that, because chairs had been lined up against the wall, and lots of youth and young mothers were sitting there.

We stayed out for over an hour, and I was talking to some friends when some of the men began to pick up the chairs to get ready for the afternoon ordination and services that were about to start. Suddenly, I heard a young man calling to me that my three year old son Luke had fallen off the wall. I ran over, and this young man handed him to me. He said he had fallen over backwards. Right away, I looked for blood on his head, and didn't find any. I turned him over in my arms, and that's when I saw his face was gray, and he wasn't fully conscience. I would gently shake him and call his name, and his eyes would open, but they were not focused. I began to panic. Several people, I can hardly say who, gathered around us. I mainly remember our friend Jerry, who had seen Luke fall. I said, "He doesn't look okay, does he?" Jerry, who is very gentle, said, "No, Carla, he doesn't." I said, "Should I take him to the hospital?" He said, "Yes, I think he needs medical attention." Another friend, who is a midwife, said he probably had a concussion. I was so afraid, I could hardly move. I asked if we should call an ambulance or drive. Yet another friend, Chester, said driving would probably be faster, did I want someone to take me? I said, yes, I was scared. Chester immediately trotted off for his car. I just kept shaking Luke and calling his name, trying to keep him awake. I told Mary Susannah to get our things, and my son Spencer to get the two little girls. Chester's wife, Barbara, came and firmly took my arm and led me to their car, telling me she would get the other children and follow in my van. As we got in the car, Luke began to scream in terror, but once we were settled, he went back into a semiconscious state. Chester told me to check and see if his pupils were the same size, but I couldn't keep his eyes open, and when they were, they are so dark brown, I couldn't tell. About the time we reached the hospital, he began to come to, and by the time we were in a room, he seemed utterly fine. Since they wouldn't allow but one person back with me, I kept my daughter Mary Susannah, and told Spencer that if Barbara was willing, they could go back to the church and see the rest of the ordination. He would need to find someone to help with the two little girls, which Barbara volunteered for. (In fact, my youngest foster daughter didn't want to leave her; she really liked the fruit bars she was carrying in her purse!!)

The hospital personal told me they couldn't find anything wrong, that Luke probably just gotten the wind knocked out of him. Our friend Jerry, who had seen the fall, and his wife and their three children, came up to the hospital to check on us while I was waiting to be checked out. They stayed with us until they dismissed us, and then took us back to the church. I asked Jerry if he didn't think it seemed worse than just having his breath knocked out, and Jerry agreed that it sure did look worse than that. Everyone was glad to see us, and to know Luke was okay.

I came home that night, and lay on the couch once everyone was fed. I kept thinking it over, and I thought I know that was more than just his breath knocked out. Having five sons, I've certainly seen children with their breath knocked out before, and it's a panicky feeling, eyes wide open, trying to get air. Luke was not like that. He was out, his eyes unfocussed. Suddenly, out of nowhere, the thought came to me, 'Carla, don't you know a miracle when you see one?' He was hurt, and suddenly, he was healed.

Barbara called later to check on me, and I told her what I thought. She said that after church, she had asked Chester, "Do you think Luke just had the wind knocked out of him?" She said Chester said, "No, he was senseless until around the time we got to the hospital."

The next morning, as I dressed him, I checked his head again. They had done that at the hospital, and said they couldn't find a place where he had hit it. But as he sat quietly and I ran my fingers up the back of his head, I found the spot, a large red bruise, where he had landed.

Well, miracle or not, I want to thank the Lord that my little boy is well and fine, and sleeping soundly as I type this. God is very, very good!