It’s not the bite that will kill you – it’s the venom.

Yesterday was a great homeschool day. We got a lot of history, writing, spelling and science done. I was feeling quite successful and accomplished when I sat down to do some of my medical transcription work.

Suddenly I heard a commotion downstairs and then the stomp of feet coming up to tell me something was wrong. It seems that Noah’s good friend had rough housed with him a little too much. He had thrown him to the ground and the jumped on top of him, causing Noah to hear a “Pop!” sound in his shoulder area. I was hoping and praying that maybe it was just a bruise, but when I looked and compared the two sides of his body, there was definitely a difference and I feared a fracture.

Later in the day I had a small auto accident. No one hurt, and vehicles both functional, but I was shaken up anyway and I also got a citation. Could the day get any worse?

Long time readers know that I tend to fret, fume, re-live and analyze. Why did Noah play with that kid? why was I at the wrong place at the wrong time? blah blah blah. And of course Mr. Pete is the sounding board that gets to hear these inner workings of my thoughts and feelings.

I took a sleeping pill to empty my mind when I went to sleep last night, but when I woke up the thoughts flooded my consciousness and I started talking about them.  Mr. Pete very patiently  rolled over to face me and told me something he had heard from a missionary at a local Christian church.

The story centered on St. Paul. Those familiar with the book of Acts of the Apostles will remember that St. Paul didn’t have it so good by Chapter 28. He had just gone through a nasty trial, was being sent to Rome to appeal his case, and had gone through a nasty storm and was shipwrecked. After all of that, while Paul was putting some wood on the fire to keep warm,  a snake jumped out of the brush he was placing in the fire and fastened on to his hand with his teeth. The bible tells us that St. Paul simply “shook the snake off into the fire and suffered no harm.”

Perhaps the snake wasn’t poisonous. But perhaps the venom didn’t have a chance to get into St. Paul’s arm. Whatever happened, St. Paul took decisive action and then just got on with it. The snake bite didn’t kill him.

Mr. Pete then said, “Ell, this was just a day full of snake bites. But Noah is okay. His fracture isn’t even as bad as they initially thought it was and he should be fine in a few weeks. The accident didn’t hurt anyone and the car damage is covered. This is why we carry insurance. But to keep dwelling on who did what to whom is the venom. That’s the stuff that will drive you crazy and make you bitter and angry. Shake it off, do what has to be done, and keep going.”

How did I get such a wise husband? He said the missionary’s talk is on line and is very good. If he gets me the link, I’ll share it here.

UPDATE:  Here’s the Link to Tom Randall’s talk at Christ Community Church.

Please browse my eBay items! Visit my new Amazon Store!