Sunday November 20, 2005

Sunday November 20, 2005 Zack slept until 9:00 which was amazing since he went to bed at about 9:00 last night. He was really tired since he had stayed up at the “lock in” all night Friday night at Hurstbourne Baptist Church. As soon as he got home at about 7:30 AM he went to bed and slept until 1:00. This morning when he got up he told me we needed to hurry so he wouldn’t be late for church. He went to his normal youth service this morning and then after church we all headed to Sam’s with Scott’s Mom and Dad. It was their Thanksgiving tasting and they gave out samples of all kinds of foods and desserts. Zack enjoyed going around to each station sampling things and then back around for the ones he really liked. When we got home he took a nap while I continued with the Christmas decorations. We ate a quick dinner and then were on the road to church again, this time to the Vine. I have really come to look forward to Sunday at the Vine. The service is different, more rock-n-roll, much more casual and intimate setting. Zack loves the music. He told me as we were driving home from church this morning that he was already looking forward to going back to church tonight so he could sing some more. That is one of the big differences since the accident. Although he always commented that the music at his church was really good I would never see him singing. Now as I stand next to him at the Vine, he closes his eyes, raises his hand and sings, joyfully with much emotion. Kyle Idleman preached tonight on Thanksgiving, being thankful even of the things we don’t enjoy, being thankful when times are tough. It brought me to tears because we have so much to be thankful for. Then Kyle told us to take the paper that was in our handout and write a letter to God on what we are thankful for. Zack turned to me and asked, “Would you write mine for me?” He quietly dictated; “Dear Lord Jesus, Thank you for being there from the time I was born. Thank you for keeping me alive so I don’t go to hell when I die. I truly love you and I pray that I will see you in heaven when it’s time. Thank you for keeping me alive when I was in my accident. I love you Lord Jesus. Zack”. He got up and went for communion as I sat there humbled in prayer. As we sang about “being rescued” by Christ I was so moved thinking about how Zack was rescued that I had to leave the sanctuary. I was crying so hard I could barely breathe and had to take a break in the restroom. I was moved because of how blessed we are that Zack is with us, that he continues to recover and for the peace that God has given me by letting Him take control of our lives. I compose myself and return to the sanctuary. If they would have been singing “Your strength is made perfect when I am weak” I probably would have had to be carried out. As I returned to my seat there had been some changes in the seating arrangements and I was no longer next to Zack. It doesn’t matter because I can still see him singing and the tears began to flow again. When the service was over and they turned up the lights we headed towards the door. There were many of his friends we stopped to talk with and when Zack and I were finally next to each other I commented how good the service was. He said, “You cried a lot”. I explained that I was so thankful that he was alive and he smiled and said, “Me too”. Dani came home with us and she played some pool with Zack. After she left Zack asked me to take a look at his head. Earlier we had discovered that he had an ingrown hair or something. It was bothering him so I put peroxide on it and took the opportunity to trim the hair over his ears. I promised him that in two weeks his hair would be long enough to cove his incision and the scar from his head wound. He is very tired of wearing hats all the time and said he just wants to wear hair now. Kyle came into the bathroom and told Zack she would give him a foot rub. I left them in the bedroom while Kyle pampered her big brother. After 15 or 20 minutes Zack and Kyle come downstairs to tell me that she rubbed his feet and hands and gave him a back rub. Kyle use to rub his feet when he was in the hospital before he could even walk or talk. She is so nurturing and would make a great nurse or therapist. They head to bed and I am able to just sit and think about how great is our God. Praise our Lord who can take a tragedy and change it into a testimony to His Glory. Praise the Lord who can take the simple act of worship and allow it to be the ultimate expression of love. Praise our God who can take a life and mold it to His pleasure, but instead allows us freewill to make our own seemingly innocent choices, even to the point of our own destruction. Praise our God who answers prayers in ways much greater than we could have imagined. Continue to pray for complete recovery for the Glory of God.