Thursday December 1, 2005

Thursday December 1, 2005 Zack slept until 7:00 and then had sausage and biscuits for breakfast. Ironically he said he wanted cereal (much easier for me) but thanked me for making it for him anyway. After his shower he came in to ask me if I got the tickets to the concert in Nashville. I explained to him that last night at 10:30 I received a phone call from Toby Macs manager. She said she got my letter and was I still looking for tickets. I told her absolutely and she explained that she was managing tickets tomorrow and would do what she could to set 10 tickets aside for us. She promised to call today and let us know what she was able to do. Zack was very excited and asked if that meant we were going to the concert. I told him it sounded good but it wasn’t a done deal yet. He got dressed and came in with sunglasses on and asked me if he looked good. He was in a great mood driving to Frazier East, listening to music and talking about the concert. He had speech therapy with Leslie. He read and had to memorize a factual paragraph and then talk about what he read and write it down. All of this focuses on attention to detail with the goal of returning to school. In physical therapy with Amy he was on a stationary bike for 30 minutes to work on his endurance and in occupational therapy with Scott they worked on visual scanning and impulsivity. Rita picked him up from Frazier today because Scott was still working. I spoke at Male High School to about 100 high school students through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). They were very attentive some even emotional. Several of Zack’s friends were there, including our neighbors Brooke Donovan and Michael Getz. I thought I was going to make it through without crying but near the end I couldn’t help myself. There was time left for questions so I got to impress upon them that if something like this could happen to Zack then it could happen to anyone of them. I urged them to listen to their parent’s council and have faith that we serve a mighty God who can accomplish anything if they turn control of their lives over to Him. Several students came up to my afterward to thank me as well as Steve Wigginton (the regional FCA Director). I am hoping that he can arrange for me to speak at Manual, Eastern, Ballard and Oldham County high schools. I have had students from several of these schools contact me saying that our message needed to be heard at their school. God has so richly blessed us through Zack’s recovery that I have to give back by sharing our story. His mercies never cease and teenagers need to understand that He is real and powerful. When I get home Zack is taking a nap but as soon as he wakes up he comes looking for me. He wants to know if I heard from anyone about the tickets. I try to occupy myself with laundry but then Kelly (my friend in Nashville) calls wanting an update. Scott tells Zack that he needs to go to his room and ask God to work the tickets out but to also thank Him for whatever the answer might be. Zack says that he is also going to ask God to “get his head better so he can drive”. At least this concert has kept his mind off of driving for most of this week. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer and I called Toby Mac’s manager, apologized for being impatient and asked if she had tickets for us. Of course the good Lord will have 10 tickets waiting for us at the ticket window and Zack and I were jumping for joy. We called his friends and told them the news. I am as excited as they are as I help Zack pack and then pack myself. We will be in Nashville when the doors open at 5:30 to be sure we get good seats. It will be an experience to remember and I hope all Zack’s friends come back big fans of Christian rock and rap. I can’t wait to see Zack as he sings the words to songs memorized over the last few weeks. I know there will be hands in the air and it will be my reward just to see the joy on his face. Every parent wishes to give their children what they desire. How much more our Heavenly Father wants to give good things to His children. Pray that this trip will have a spiritual significance for all of us. Pray for traveling mercies as we travel across the mountains of Tennessee. Praise God that there are Christians in the entertainment business that know that the fastest way to a teenagers heart is through music. Give thanks to our Heavenly father who is smiling down at the excitement generated over a concert that will glorify Him. He sits on His throne and whispers “wait until tomorrow”. Continue to pray for Zack’s complete recovery as a testimony to the awesome power of God!!!