Yesterday was a strange day for my family.
The annual Dad and Daughter Dance was in the works for the evening and I had taken off work, looking forward to spending a special evening with Beka and Rachel.
Around 3:00 pm, I was woken by the frantic ringing of my phone (yes, it can ring frantically), hearing first Jan's personal ring tone, followed immediately by my Mother-in-law's. From a sleepy state I knew something was wrong by the sequence of calls and leapt from bed to respond.
Calling the last number missed on the phone, I got Rachel, in a tearful panic, telling me that Beka was having a seizure and I needed to get over there. Confirming that they had called 911, I was quickly dressed and out the door, racing to the house.
I arrived seconds ahead of the EMT's, met at the door by two of Jan's young sewing students, to find Jan cradling Beka on the floor; Rachel and Nan fearfully standing by. The house was rapidly filling with emergency workers (eight in all!) and I took Rachel to one room to console her, then alternated between rooms, watching over Beka and Jan, consoling Rachel and Nana, dancing and joking for the two students, and praying through it all.
After the EMT's had evaluated Beka, ran their tests, and let us know it was not a seizure, but a combination of stress, hyperventilation and possible over stimulation from meds we began to relax and let the intensely stressfull event settle.
Putting Beka to bed, we decided to wait a while to see who, if anyone, was going to the dance, eventually deciding that Rachel and I would go and Beka would stay home and rest.
Rachel and I had an absolutely marvelous time at the dance, dancing almost every song, and it was for me, a memory I will cherish forever. Rachel was like another person, closely attached, less than ever a giggly little girl and so much more a sensitive young woman on the brink of stepping into young adulthood. Perhaps led by the emotional intensity of the afternoon, Rachel was relaxing in her daddy's arms, feeling safe and letting fear and anxiety fade away.
I like to think that God had stepped in, a continuance of answered prayer, restoring Beka, comforting Rachel, Jan and Nana, bringing peace to the family. I like to think that our Father in heaven always knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I like to think that because I know it to be true.
He is a faithful Father, ever true and always, always, exactly on time.
"So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him." ~ Matthew 6:8
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