The Fingerprints of God

**Originally published 10/16/07**
**Edited 9/13/10 to add -- Jerrod is home and back to leading a normal college life (as normal as college gets). Jerry, Jerrod's dad is in the middle of retelling their story and I am loving his insights. If you're interested, read How to Be a Neat Guy to hear the whole story from Jerry's point of view. Start with 8/25/10, he's been posting every week day.**

Last night, around 9:00, I returned from the road trip to see Jerrod. If you haven't seen his website, please take a couple of minutes to read his story. This site was actually created by a friend of the family at Jerry's request. It is the best way to get accurate, up-to-date information on how Jerrod is doing.

For the last 2 weeks I have been preoccupied with Jerrod and the health crisis he is facing. Every waking moment, it seems, is spent thinking of, praying for, or talking about Jerrod and what is happening at a hospital in Plano many miles from where I am. For two weeks I have ached to be there with Jerrod, Carla, Jerry, and Carly. To see with my own eyes, hug with my own arms, and pray with my own voice. To experience more than just the virtual waiting room that is the website.

On Wednesday morning, the day before the surgery, while in the shower, I was talking to God about my ache. I was inviting God to search my heart. . .to make sure that my reasons for wanting to visit the Sheltons was not selfish. I didn't want to go if my motivation was to ease my mind or find peace for myself. I only wanted to go if it would encourage and uplift Jerrod and his mom and dad.

As I finished my shower, I realized that it was very possible for me to squeeze in a 6 hour road trip Sunday and Monday if I could figure out what to do with my kids. Because, let's face it, a mom who's dealt with 3 kids for 6 hours in the car headed for unpredictable circumstances at a hospital waiting room isn't much encouragement to the people around her. By the end of my shower I was weighing my childcare options, knowing it was all that stood between me and a visit with our dear friends.

BEFROE I WAS EVEN FINISHED DRYING OFF, the telephone rang. It was one of our former youth interns saying that since she (A) and her husband (M) have just moved back to town and are still in the process of working out the details of their jobs, they are totally free to babysit the kids so Honey and I can go see the Sheltons. In fact she'd just finished cleaning her bathroom where she'd been praying about ways to help the Sheltons and felt like this was something she could do. So she took a chance and called. God answered my prayer for the perfect babysitter before I even had the chance to voice the need.

Needing no more signs from God, (as it's pretty miraculous for people to call and VOLUNTEER to keep my children overnight) I promised to call Honey and work out a plan for A and M to watch the kids while we made the trip.

Not by accident, Honey had a trip planned to the Plano area for work. He was scheduled to fly out Sunday and fly home on Thursday. After a few phone calls, the company agreed to cancel Honey's Sunday flight, and, instead pay for his expenses to drive down. I was able to drive down with him, stay in his hotel room Sunday night, and. . . VOILA! The expenses for our trip dwindled to my food and gas for the trip home.

I drove back Monday evening, and Honey will fly home as planned on Thursday.

The kids had a blast with A and M, and Honey and I got to hug our friends and witness first hand the power of prayer and faith as we held hands with Jerrod and watched the Cowboy game on Sunday. God is so good!

More on our trip tomorrow.