the antihistamine incident(s)

I am sure you have heard the saying, "God works in mysterious ways." Well, that's because He has knowledge and wisdom and worth far greater than we can even imagine. His ways aren't really mysterious, it's just that we, with our finite minds cannot possibly comprehend His ways.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. ~Isaiah 55:8

So when I learned a valuable lesson last year, it crossed my mind to think it odd to be experiencing a life lesson totally unrelated to the events at hand...but God does that, nothing odd about it…

Last December, while I was fixing lunch for the kids, Rachel climbed onto my bed, stretched across to my dresser, opened the drawer and found some allergy medicine that I had packed for my cruise. When I found her, she was sitting in the middle of the floor, bottle open, pills on floor, pink residue around her mouth. I had no idea how many she might have ingested, so I called poison control right away. The nurse told me to take her to the hospital - "to the NEAREST hospital - and quickly, leave now, but do not crash." Seriously, no crashing? What kind of help is that?

Upon quick arrival at the hospital, we proceeded with slow check in to the emergency room. I could have eaten a 4 course meal in the time they took getting our information and "urgent" data. The nurse asked questions like, "Are you distracted at home?" Yes, I have 4 kids, I am very distracted. "Did you know an overdose of antihistamines can be dangerous?" Really, is that why I called poison control instead of candy control? After 4 hours at the hospital with no ill effects we got to leave, but not without more sound advice - this time from the doctor, "You're going to want to be sure to keep all medicines out of reach, and away from your baby." Awesome...thanks - why didn't I think of that?

When we were safe back at home, and I had time to reflect, it dawned on me that I had not gone to God. Not once, in the crazy and scary events of the day, did I pray to God and ask for His protection over Rachel. That should have been my first and immediate reaction. But, it wasn't even my last resort...I forgot all about Him, and bore the responsibility of "fixing" things all by myself. As I meditated on that I was broken. I was so sad and sorry that I had failed to recognize and call upon His mighty power of protection and healing.

God is so great though...not only did He forgive me - but He gave me a second chance to do it right...

Not even one week later, Rachel climbed over a baby gate, scaled a desk, and found a bottle of antihistamines that had been left by my brother over a year previous. She was sitting in the desk chair, bottle open, pills on floor, with white residue on her tongue. Noooooo! I could not believe it. I screamed, she cried, I fell to the floor and immediately cried out to the Lord. I prayed for God to keep her safe and for me to have wisdom in helping her. Long story short, Allen and I made a calculated decision to keep her home and avoid the emergency room. Not only was I convinced she had not even ingested 1/2 a pill, but I couldn’t help but think that child services would be meeting me at the hospital if I showed up in the ER under the same circumstances I had just been reprimanded by the nursing staff for, not even a week prior.

It was another long day, but as I reflected on it, I was so thankful to God for keeping Rachel safe. I was also consoled that my first and immediate response was to pray. I cannot believe that my baby would find, and ingest, allergy meds twice in less than a week. But, I can believe that God would use such events to teach me a very real, and very important, lesson - that He should be my first and immediate response to all emergencies, needs, wants, desires...everything.

Through these events, God taught me a valuable lesson in seeking Him first, and I got to experience His amazing gift of mercy and second chances. Am I saying that God mysteriously let Rachel get into allergy meds just to teach me a lesson? No, not at all. What I am saying is that through life's everyday occurrences, God can teach, guide, rebuke, and encourage us. I have been blessed to avoid any more trips to the emergency room, but can only imagine that will not last forever. I will continue to be diligent in keeping her safe, but can only rest in knowing that ultimately, God is in control.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. ~Romans 8:28