Accident prone

My youngest son Zach broke his arm last week, the second time in two years. The first time he broke his arm was at the park when he fell off the monkey bars. Last week we are not sure how he did it, he was playing in the play area at McDonalds. My wife was on one side of the area and he was on the other. He came to her screaming that he had fell down and his arm hurt. It was not swollen but it did have a red mark on it. Long story short, he broke it in two places. Now I tell you all of this because I think he is following in his father's footsteps. I get hurt at the drop of a hat. Let me give you just a quick account of my accident prone life.

Five years old - I was going down a steep hill on my bike when I hit a some lose stones at the bottom. All I remember was crashing and asking my friend to bring my bike home. When I got home my mom was asleep on the couch, I told her I had a wreck and she said to go clean myself up. (She was not quite awake when I told her.) An hour later when she really did wake up, she screamed, "What in the world happened to you?" She took me out to the sink and commenced to cleaning my wounds. She scrubbed my face and small pebbles were falling into the sink, I did not do a good job of cleaning myself up. Final tally, three scars across my toes (I still have them but I do not remember how, I thought I was wearing shoes), one sprained wrist, and a face that only a mother could love.

16 years old - Sprained my ankle so badly I would have been better off breaking it. I was playing basketball on my high school varsity team. Went up for a rebound and came down on the side of my foot, all I heard was a big pop. Stupid me talked my coach into letting me go back out and I popped it again!


18 years old - playing softball I ran into a guy and hit his elbow with my face. 17 stitches in my lip. The bad thing was it was supposed to be mine and Sheila's first date. She was at the emergency room when I came out. Boy was I embarrassed. My lip was the size of Texas. I tried to keep my head turned the other way when I spoke to her. Needless to say, no good night kiss on the first date.

20 - 30 years old - more stitches than you can shake a stick at. Mainly on my hands while at work.

24 years old - broke the tips of my two middle fingers on my right hand, playing softball again. It was just a bad hop , what can I say.

32 years old - cut off about a half an inch of my left hand ring finger. Actually I smashed it off when I dropped a heavy part from a bulldozer on it. Did not really hurt too bad. Maybe someday I will do a whole story on that. It is a good one.

37 years old - I went to the high school rafting trip. When we got to the slow part of the river we were allowed to get into the water and cool off. I did a back flip out of the boat and cracked my elbow on an unseen boulder that was under the water. I cracked the bone and had a one inch gash in my elbow.

38 years old - while playing football with a group of guys at Disciple Now I ripped my calf muscle. No real story here, I just did not loosen up before playing and I payed the price.

Last night while playing softball for the men's church league. I got hit in the inside of my ankle (the one I messed up playing basketball in high school.) Woke up this morning and almost fell on my face. I did not realize I hurt it so bad. I have been hit with many a softball but this one was in the perfect place to render me helpless. I missed my first day of work in a long time.

Anyway, just a few highlights of my accident prone life. The reason I am telling yall this is not for sympathy it is for concern. My youngest has already broken his arm twice. I am wondering if he is in for a life of accidents just like his old man. I mean don't get me wrong, I have learned a lot for my accidents. Loosen up the old muscles before playing ANY sport. Never do a back flip out of the boat if you do not know what is under the water. Always use your glove and not your bare hands when catching a softball. Always use a forklift when picking up heavy parts. NEVER EVER let you mom clean you up after and accident it will hurt worse than the accident itself.

But I think the most important lesson I have learned is that when you start getting too busy and you do not heed the signs that God is giving you to slow down, He will allow something to happen to make you slow down. Maybe you are traveling to much, He may allow for your car to break down. Maybe you are going out to much, He may allow you to lose some money. Maybe He will open a door so that you can go on an unexpected vacation. This happened to me last year. Maybe you are just way too busy doing nothing, as in my case, and He may allow a little accident to slow you down so you can take a break. That is just my thought, what do you think? Do you believe God will allow things to happen to you to give you a break from your everyday business?

God bless, Joe

Accident prone