Over the last two weeks Hawk has fallen out of his wheelchair twice. Big fail on my part. The first time involved a donut cushion. We had just gotten a donut cushion for him because his tailbone sticks out bad since he is so skinny. It's even turned under a bit. The donut cushion seemed like a good idea. What wasn't a good idea was me putting it on top of his other cushion. While he sat on both of these cushions (and properly belted in) he jerked and fell over -- chair and all. His face got scraped up in three places, and his back got scraped in two. He even shed one tear (I have never seen Hawk cry except when he was a very young infant). I made sure to take out his old cushion. That wasn't going to happen again.
Then, along came yesterday. I was wheeling Hawk to the Suburban. I had him partly belted in. Often I do this if I am going to put him in the vehicle since he won't be in his chair for long. I took my hand off his chair for just five seconds while opening the Suburban door. At that moment, he jerked to his right and pulled himself out of his chair (these jerks are individual seizures). He hit the ground with his right eye. What a trooper! He didn't even make a peep. I unstrapped him and held him; told him I was sorry. He won't be belted in part way again, that's for sure!
I know I 'm the best caregiver Hawk could have, but I messed up. These things happened when I was with him.
Accidents happen to all of us. Life is frail. Two thoughts from scripture come to mind:
First, "All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field. The grass withers, the flower fades, When the breath of the LORD blows upon it; Surely the people are grass." Isaiah 40:6-7.
Second, "now is the day of salvation" 2 Corinthians 6:2c.
Just today I heard of two young people's deaths. And last week my oldest daughter called me telling me three people she knew in different places had died within a week -- all under age 37.
Death can claim any of us at any time.
Do you know where you will spend eternity?
You can know for sure. You can choose to go to heaven. Trust in Jesus. Trust that He is the way, the truth and the life. Only through Him can we get to the Father (Jesus said this in John 14:6).
The Father is the Perfect Father, our Heavenly Father; our Father who loves us and desires to be in relationship with each of us. Please don't wait any longer. Please answer His call.
(And please don't buy into the lie that hell is going to be a fun place. It will be torment and isolation and unending pain.)