Battle of the Bull

Isn't it strange how you wake up every morning and most of the time, everything goes as you expect but every once in a while, you get a phone call that will just stop your heart and force you to forget everything else that's going on. Well, Thursday was Carson's birthday (refer to previous post) and we had dropped Gabby off at school and had run to the Dollar Store for a few things. My phone rang and it was mom. I thought she was just calling to check in but the tone of her voice told me otherwise when she asked if I had talked to Brian.

When I told her "no" she proceeded to tell me that my dad had been struck down by a bull. Pointblank! That was it! I had no details as to whether he had been hit in the chest or head and if he was even conscious. So, I stood in the middle of the store, with a babbling 3 year old and tried to collect myself. I told mom to close down the store and head for the hospital as one of the hired hands had picked him up and was headed that way. I got off the phone with her and immediately called Brad to ask him to rush to the hospital and be with dad until mom could be. It was there, in the middle of the store that I leaned on my cart and just started praying for comfort and that he was going to be o.k. If you aren't familiar with how bulls can be, they can pack a pretty powerful punch. I found a lot of peace just through praying and think it really helped me to hold it together for that time that I was waiting on edge for a phone call and an update to see how he was doing.

About an hour later, Brad called me to let me know that he had definitely broken his radius and ulna and they were moved about a half inch from where they should be. By 3:00 that day, he was on his way to Goshen Hospital for some more x-rays and possible surgery. As luck would have it, he was wheeled into surgery at 6p.m. and out around 9p.m. It took two, eight inch plates and 14 screws to put everything back together but now the healing can begin. Dad spent 3 days in the hospital and is now back home recovering.

After all this, I find myself in wonder at why he still thinks he is so invinceable as to take a chance with a bull that he knows was wild. As mom puts it, "That's all he knows. He's been doing it his whole life." Well dad, you're not as young as you used to be and sometimes it's not worth the risk! This obviously was not your time but I hope you will take it as a valuable lesson. We'd really like to keep you around for awhile. It always seems like you feel that you have to work to support and help with everything which is very much appreciated but I hope and pray that you will take this time of recovery to reflect on what is really important...like your life. I sometimes wonder if you would have just taken vacation with us in January if God would have prevented this from happening to you.

Moral of the story.....If you don't know your limits, God WILL reveal them to you! I love you dad and am grateful that you are still here! Take care of yourself and listen to those doctors!!!!