Caedmon's "special" day

I woke up this morning thinking this was going to be a special day. Never did I imagine what would unfold.

The kids and I had been doing a Bible lesson on the Passover this week. In concluding our study, we decided to celebrate the Friday morning communion service our church administers each week for the wider Christian community of St Andrews. The kids and I enjoyed a wonderful, quaint Communion service and then I headed to work. Then I received the phone call--Caedmon was badly injured and I need to go home immediately. As I received the news an ambulance passed by my office. It was no coincidence. It was headed for our house.

When I arrived at our home Caedmon was motionless on the trampoline. He was conscious and able to move his fingers, but was complaining of pain in his neck and back and was unwilling to move. The paramedics stabilized him with a neck brace and put him on a board and took him to the nearest trauma center some twenty miles away.

By the time we arrived at the hospital Caedmon was more aware of what was going on and notably uncomfortable. After a series of examinations and x-rays it was determined that he did not have a break in his neck or his back. We were relieved and grateful to God.

The doctors decided to take off the neck brace and see if he could move his neck; he could. Then, he sat up; then he jumped off the hospital bed! We were elated!

When we got home the first thing he did was get back up on the trampoline. I wasn't ready for that, so I told him to get down. He then told me that he wanted to ride his scooter around the block. Thankful for his remarkable recovery, I thought this would be a great way to celebrate God's goodness. A walk around the block might also give me a chance to reflect upon what had just happened.

In true Caedmon-style, he motored away on his scooter, far ahead of me, as if to show me what a big boy he was. And then, just as I began to yell ahead to him to remind him that he must stop at all the driveway entrances...wham!!!...he was hit by a car pulling out of the driveway. He bounced off of the bumper of the car and onto a busy street. Fortunately, no cars were coming. He bounced up, picked up his scooter, and carried on his way!

He still has no clue how close he came to death-- twice in one day. But we will never forget. And we thank God for His protective hand. We believe that this was a special day for Caedmon; a day where he got to see God's care for his life; a day that confirmed that He has plans for Caedmon; a day that reminded us all that at any moment life can be taken away.

Everyday is a gift from God.