"I think I'm starting to look like Sparky..."

The Sunday before Nathan’s back surgery (to correct Congenital Kyphosis), I knew his last fun event would be the Awana Club meeting held that night at our church, Grace Memorial.  By the week’s end, he would be recovering in a body cast, a fact that had Bryan, me, and other family members sad and worried.  The year before, we had made it through surgery to correct a congenital heart defect known as Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return, a complication of Scimitar Syndrome.  We felt like:  “Oh, no, here we go again.”

The previous Sunday, Nathan had won the coveted “Sparky Award,” meaning he had earned the honor of spending the week with the stuffed firefly toy that served as the club mascot.  He would be returning Sparky and leaving the next morning for Children’s Hospital in New Orleans.  Before the meeting, Nathan and I sat down at my computer and concocted a letter to let his friends know he would not be coming to meetings for a while.  I don’t know if I’m right about this or not, but I have always suspected that God is particularly moved by the prayers of children.  In a way, this was probably my sneaky way of soliciting sweet petitions from His favorite little folks…

As we created the letter, I remembered a picture I had taken of one of Nathan’s amusing antics.  He had the wild idea to cover his face with Sparky stickers one day and, after recovering from the initial shock of his unexpected appearance, I snapped the above photo.  So we left this letter and the funny (maybe a little creepy?) picture with Awana Director Jamie Carver before we left the club meeting that night.

Nathan mugging with Awana leader, Larry Burns

To be truthful, my own ability to pray had become “crippled” so to speak, so I am grateful that the children and my church family picked up my slack.  The letter was shared with club members and the kids sent Nathan adorable handmade cards as he recovered.  I am told that they did, indeed, pray for him.

What a thrill it was to return to Awanas the following month!  He was not able to participate in the signature Awana running games, but our youth minister, Evan Dickson, cleverly had Nathan “calling the shots” during the games, allowing him to feel “in charge.”

As the months went by, he soon transitioned into a custom-made body brace, and little by little, regained his ability to run and play.  The body brace is gone… now it’s all just a terrible, and in some ways, wonderful, memory.

Related post:  The Principle of Finders Keepers