Trying circumstance calls for trusting God

Dave's nightly phone call from spring training at the beginning of April ended with alarming news: Andy, our son, was really sick. His baseball team's trainer had tried four times the day before to insert an I.V. and couldn't because Andy was so dehydrated.

"They were able to find a vein today and gave him two bags of fluids," Dave said, devoid of the hysteria the situation deserved. My husband might as well have been announcing what kind of deodorant he was wearing. My tone wasn't quite so emotionless.

"Why hasn't Andy called me? Do I need to fly down there? Is he keeping any water down? Who's taking care of him? Are you on your way to check on him? Has anyone gotten him Pedialyte?" Dave interrupted my rapid-fire interrogation.

"Patty, I'm sure the trainers are taking good care of him. That's their job."

How Dave could remain so calm in such a life-and-death emergency is beyond me. By the time I hung up and speed-dialed Andy, I had him being life-flighted to the nearest emergency room where no one would know how to treat him, and me, his mother, a kajillion miles away, unable to tell the doctors what to do.

And probably last on his list of relatives to be notified.

Reaching Andy's voicemail six times in a row was no help. His text an hour later was the first proof he was coherent: "I'm going to meet my maker in the sky."

Why he thought that was the time to be funny is anyone's guess. The seventh time I called, he answered his phone.

"That's real cute, Andy. I take it you're much better since you obviously have no problem with your sense of humor."

He wasn't better. And the pain was the worst he had ever had. Andy remained silent as I shot off a never-ending list of questions and medical advice. The only thing that was clear was that no, he didn't want me to fly there and rescue him.

It's times like this when I struggle with Paul's message in Matthew 6:25--"Don't worry." What does Paul know about worry? Paul was never a mother. How does one "not" worry when that trait has been genetically handed down to her, as in my case? Surely God takes that into account, doesn't He?

Uh...no. The problem with worry is that it is totally nonproductive, not to mention it is the opposite of trust, a behavior that Proverbs 3:5,6 suggests: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your paths." Notice it doesn't say "unless you have a friend to call" or "except when it involves your children who are 1500 miles away." It says "in ALL your ways."

I did finally call on God... after I realized I was useless to my son. And when the report came back "salmonella" I continued to call on Him. My prayers were answered, and with each passing day Andy was doing a little better. I even apologized to God for not trusting Him. And when Adam called from Cincinnati and said that he had a temperature and couldn't get out of bed, I immediately said a quick prayer before I asked if he was drinking lots of water or needed me to come there and take care of him.

Yes, indeedy, I am doing MUCH, MUCH better.