September 5, 2007

Nothin’ But the Blood

The Red Cross was at our church today taking blood from all the willing and the qualified. Tiffany couldn’t since she’s pregnant. Caleb is four. I had no excuse. So I decided to give. I had not donated blood in about eight years so I was feeling sufficiently guilty.

If by chance, I reasoned, that there was some giant database out there with the list of people who don’t give very often, and if it so happened that those who needed a transfusion were given lower priority on the basis of whether their name was in this database, then I should be safe and donate my blood.

Caleb rode with me in my car on the way to church. He likes to ride in my car because he knows I’ll roll down all the windows, open the sunroof, and turn up the music. His Mommy won’t do that.

So where was I…oh yeah…on my way to give blood. I had been feeling slightly apprehensive this afternoon. Even though I knew it didn’t make sense to be nervous about giving blood, I thought it would a good teachable moment about courage. Courage is doing something even though you’re scared to do it. So I said, “Caleb, can I tell you something?”

“Yes Sir.” (Don’t ask how long it took to get him to start saying Ma’am and Sir, but I’m so proud of him that he’s getting the hang of it.)

“I’m a little scared to give blood,” I told him.

“God will be with you,” he said.

I kid you not. He actually was encouraging me in my faith. Wow! Talk about wisdom out of the mouth of babes!

“So what if I can’t see God, how do I know He’s with me?” I admit, that question was bait.

He took the bait and said, “Just like air, God is there.”

Whoa! He not only remembered me telling him that, but really understood it. I think Caleb may have been looking for a teachable moment with me, and he beat me to it.

So with that. I had the courage to give blood, knowing that God was there. How could I not?

And afterwards…

I passed out.

Yep.