Trusting God when you can’t always be there for your kids

    Not long ago as I was putting my girls down to bed, my oldest daughter Rebekah wanted to talk. She brought up memories from the accident Jeremiah was in three years ago. I knew her little mind was still processing the traumatic event. My husband was accidentally shot in the arm at our local rifle range by a neighboring shooter who misfired his gun.
    All my kids were with me when I first got the phone call. They saw my fear, tears and panic. They were upset and wondering if he was going to die. I had to pack our bags fast to get to the hospital 2.5 hours away to meet my husband traveling by ambulance.
    “Mommy, I was so scared for dad,” Rebekah said. “I still have bad dreams that you both are going to die.”
    My heart ached for her as she poured out her words. “But when you had to leave that day, I remember Susan giving me a warm washcloth and putting it on my neck. I remember Jill taking care of us overnight at her house. I didn’t really sleep.”
    Susan is a dear friend and member in our church who helped take over the day of the accident, and Jill is a precious friend and neighbor across the street. There were many others who came to our rescue.
    I’d no idea about the washcloth, and it made me tear up. I wasn’t surprised Susan would do such a thing, but it really hit me how God was tenderly taking care of my kids through other people.
    “Why didn’t you come back to get us?” Rebekah asked. I explained to her how daddy was in a lot of pain and we had to stay at the hospital for surgeries.
    I affirmed her feelings and assured her that the most important thing we can remember from that day, no matter how scary it was, is that God protected daddy from life-threatening injuries. His angels were present. I told her how much we missed her and her siblings while we were away.

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