Embrace the Possibilities

She was full of life, with a twinkle in her eye and an impish smile tugging at her lips. She was average size for a child and she loved life and thought everything was quite possibly perfect.

Each day was filled with adventure, bare feet and shirts buttoned in disarray. Since she had learned to dress herself her clothing had made their own fashion statement, yet she seemed more than pleased with her selection each morning.

She could be found at every opportunity following behind her Daddy chattering. He would turn his head occasionally nodding attentively. Many times she would stop and look up at her Daddy with eyes full of worship; was there anything he couldn’t do?

The morning brought a day of bright sunshine and cool breezes. As she wondered outside to find what the day was to bring, there was Daddy working on the brush mower. She watched quietly as he labored over the mower to get it running. When he started the big machine the sharp teeth jumped into action. She stood and watched with amazement and awe. The teeth seemed to move in a fluid motion that seemed to mesmerize her as she reached up her little finger to touch the magic.

The monster roared into life as it sliced the little finger off and tore the second finger loose. Life seemed to stand still as she heard her Daddy scream with deep intensity, yet the sound of his fear and the rushing of her Mommy from the house didn’t seem to fit the deep impact of pain and agony that seem to rush deep within her.

As Momma rushed to her she gathered her up and wrapped her little hand in the black apron that hung around her waist. The apron soon became blood soaked as they raced toward the emergency room.

The room smelled of antiseptic and rubbing alcohol as they gently laid the little girl on the table. Momma stood near by holding the little hand that was whole as the nurses and doctors quickly went to work on the other little hand with its severed fingers. As quickly as the sharp pain from the injection ripped through her hand it subsided as swiftly bringing instant relief from the torrent pain. Momma was there one moment, and then Daddy was taking her hand as the nurses led Momma away.

A shot of pain medicine, hand wrapped in bandages and the family headed home to try and find some manner of solace. Medicine was to be administered every 4 hours that would bring some comfort and deep sleep for the little girl. The doctor had warned about depression and pain because of the trauma suffered.

Instructions were given to keep her quiet and still. But minutes later when Momma turned around there she was turning summersaults on the couch. Momma’s heart skipped a beat as she rushed over to calm the child and coax her into lying still. “Sleep; there would be deep sleep after the pain medicine was given” Momma contemplated.

Night came and the little girl slept peacefully between Momma and Daddy. Exhausted sleep finally came to them too. Sometime deep in the night both parents were startled awake to “I want milk and graham crackies.”

Years have passed and this child has grown into a loving, God-fearing woman. Time and time again she has risen above the odds that life has thrown at her. Instead of letting the missing finger set the tempo for her life, she has scaled new heights and embraced each ordeal with renewed strength.


Philippians 3:13-14 “Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”