Appendicitis
You can either laugh or cry. I was preaching on Sunday and a group of young men ages 10 and 11 started to get a little rowdy in the back row. Well one of those children happened to be our oldest son.
So as they start to get to where I can hear them I begin to think about what I should do. I look around as I am talking and they seem to be distracting me more than others. I look to see if any of the parents of the other kids have noticed their behavior. Then I watch as my son gets up and leaves and comes to the front row with his mother.
Well that seems to settle everyone down and I was glad because I was thinking about taking a walk back to ask them about what was so funny.
So I’m finishing up, focused on our second message in the series The Zone based on clips from the old Twilight Zone. I’m thinking I’m so proud of our son because he realized that behavior wasn’t appropriate and he wanted to distance himself.
Well, it turns out that actually his stomach was in pain and he found it unbearable so he went to sit with his mom. So much for the pat on the back I gave myself during my message.
So, our son spends the rest of Sunday very sick. By the evening my wife decides (Dad thinks he should just tough it out, everything will be fine in the morning) to take our son to urgent care. Well they are closed so they end up at the hospital.
Of course dad is thinking how much is that going to cost when my wife calls to inform me that our son Nathan wants me to come to the hospital, they are about to do a CT scan and something is definitely wrong.
So at 2:00 a.m. I was walking into a room with my son who had just left surgery. He had his appendix removed around 1:00 a.m.
Needless to say that wasn’t my plan for the day but thankfully my wife overruled my ‘everything will be alright.’ I just got to the office to get some things. Thankfully everything went well and he will be home by the evening.
I won’t know what to think the next time he bails on bad behavior or maybe he won’t and I will be forced to ask him what he is doing from the pulpit. That is never good.
BODY LIFE 
Wow. That’s amazing. I glad to read your son went through the surgery fine.
I pray his recovery will be quick.
I am glad to hear your son is fine, but if you have doubts about his behavior in assembly, maybe a good talk is in order before you ascend the podium, along with the parents of the other disorderly.
Darin – Glad to hear your son is doing well. I’m often the one that says my kids should tough it out. Thank you God for wives!
My dad is a minister. I remember sitting in “church” talking and not listening then realizing the preacher wasn’t talking anymore. I looked up and my dad was staring our group of boys down. Once he saw that he had my attention he simply said “sorry” to the congregation and continued on. I was NOT looking forward to lunch at home that day.
Glad your son’s ok. How did you get out of sitting in the waiting room? : )
Ben, I was actually in the emergency room waiting area. That is an interesting place at 1:00 in the morning.
Anyway, I actually zoned out because I had been up since 5:00 and didn’t hear the phone ringing to let me know I could go back.
Some lady had to wake me from my trance.
God bless your son, Darin. I’m happy to hear he is healthy and well. Hug him often. A little misbehavior in “church” isn’t the worst thing anyone ever did.
Not sure how my comment sounded… just that a Sunday disturbance isn’t the end of the world. Anyhoo… you could always thump his ears. 🙂