It hurts weally, weally bad.

Last night my wife and I were woke up at three in the morning by my youngest son screaming. I thought maybe his hand was hurting him because the day before his brother slammed his hand in the van door. My wife must had heard him long before I did because I heard her talking to him.

Zach "Mommy my leg hurts weally weally bad."

Sheila "I know baby."

Zach (Much louder) "Mommy it hurts weally weally bad! Make it go away."

Sheila "It's OK, it will be better in a little bit."

Zach "I want to go to my doctor."

Sheila "I know baby, the medicine will help you."

Zach "Owewee, it hurts, it hurts. Make it go away."

By now I have went to go check out my little man. He is laying on the couch and Sheila is rubbing his leg and he is screaming at this point. I reach down and push his hair back and talk to him.

Me "Hey buddy, it is going to be OK."

Zach "Daddy make it go away."

Me "I wish I could Big Guy, it will be better in just a little while."

Sheila looks at me and says she can handle it for me to go back to bed. I go and get back into bed and listen to the whole thing again. I felt so sorry for my little man. Growing pains hurt like the devil. I was wishing there was something I could do for him but I knew all me and Sheila could do is be there for him and comfort him.

So there I am laying in bed somewhere in that state where you are just about asleep but not quite and your mind is racing about stuff. Let me ask you guys a question. Do any of you have a place in your mind where you meet with Jesus? You know, a happy place. Not a happy place like in the movie "Happy Gilmore", there where no little people on tri-cycles in my happy place. Sorry but that just cracks me up. Alright back to being serious. What was the question, oh yeah, do you have a place in your mind where you go to meet Jesus? Are you bowing before Him when you are talking to him? Are you sitting beside Him in Heaven? My place is in the woods by a running stream. Me and Jesus sitting on the ground, me talking and Him listening, like a couple of old friends.

Last night I had such a dream. I was saying a quick prayer for Zach, when I found myself in that familiar setting in the woods with my Lord.

Me "Lord, it hurts really really bad."

Jesus "I know it does."

Me "Lord, all these trials and problems I have been going through these past few years. My heart, my body they hurt. I can't take it much more."

Jesus "I know, it is only for a short time. It won't be long, before you know it you will be home with me. Until then, I promise I won't give you more than you can handle."

Me "LORD, I can't handle much more."

Jesus "Oh Joe, if you only knew. You can handle so much, just rely on Me."

Just then there is someone kneeling in front of me brushing the hair out of my eyes and wiping the tears and asks what's wrong.

Jesus "Dad, Joe is going through some problems right now. I can't take them from him but I can be here for him and comfort him."

God "Look here my son, I know We allow trials in your life but I promise you will be a better man for it. We promise we won't allow more than you can handle."

That is where I left it, me, God and Jesus sitting there, Them comforting me. I finally fell asleep. This morning I woke up and you know how you kind of remember you had a dream and you try to recall the whole thing? This dream, I remembered the whole thing. During my quite time I asked Jesus to give me the words to write on this post, then I started thinking about another situation where a person was going through some pain.

Jesus "Father, this really really hurts."

God "I know my Son but it will be over very soon and then You will be home with Me."

Jesus "Father, I can't handle much more of this."

God "Oh My Son, You can handle so much. Me and the angels are here for support."

Jesus "Is there any other way?"

God "No my Son, you have to go through this. It is the only way the human race can get to me. But I promise I will not give You more than You Can handle.

After looking at it like this, my problems don't seem as bad. Jesus died for all of us. He did it so we would not have to face a sinner's hell. Death is a whole lot worse than a little health problem or money problem that I can ever face.

Remember, don't tell God how big your storms are, tell your storms how big your God is.

God bless, Joe

It hurts weally, weally bad.