Katie, Colton, Conner & Jeff

Katie, Colton, Conner & Jeff
My soul mate, Jeff, and Katie, Colton and Conner, the three gifts from God that call me "Mom"

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Curve Balls

Caleb Wilson is a baseball player.  There are young men that simply play baseball, and there are young men that are really baseball players.  Caleb is the latter of these.  Caleb plays outfield as elegantly and effortlessly as a trained dancer on the stage.  Caleb can field any fast ball, curve ball, or sinker that any lucky batter might have the luck of hitting.  Caleb is fast, and he can round the bases at lightning speed.   Caleb is a hard hitter, gauging carefully each pitch, until "his" pitch crosses the plate.  Like I said, Caleb IS a baseball player.

Caleb is also a rising senior in high school.  He is an excellent student, although not a big fan of "Julius Caesar," which I found out when I taught his sophomore English class.  I can still see him dressed in Roman attire, insisting that he get to pair together the most outlandish of the costumes.  Caleb's smile can light up the entire room, and he is loved by his teachers and his peers.  I was blessed by the time I spent with him in the classroom, and he taught me as much as I taught him.

Caleb is a wonderful son, and his parents are a great source of support for him.  Present at every game, Ila and Rodney, smile with pride when Caleb is at bat.  Often with elderly grandparents in tow, Caleb's mom and dad are great examples of what good parenting is, and their success shows well in all of their children.

So, today, many students are counting down the final days of summer vacation.  Many are already doing "back-to-school" shopping.  Many are taking last minute trips before settling back into the school routine for the next ten months.  Seniors are going on college road trips, in anticipation of the next chapter in life.  Not Caleb.

This morning, Caleb and his parents are in route to the Shepherd Center for Rehabilitation in Atlanta, Georgia.  Caleb was involved in a freak accident last week, and it has left his body partially paralyzed, due to spinal cord trauma.  Caleb has spent that past ten days undergoing three surgeries, and he has begun the daunting task of physical therapy in an attempt to regain movement in his lower body.

While this is not the journey the Wilson family had planned, they are traveling this road with faith and confidence that God is in control.  Caleb's accident has already been a testimony to so many across the country through social media.  Prayers have been lifted on his behalf, and prayers have been answered.

So today, we will continue to pray for Caleb and his family.  He is traveling a new road.   Although his path is uncertain, one thing is certain.  God is in control, and He will be with Caleb, Ila and Rodney every step of this journey.  Life has thrown Caleb an infamous curve ball, but I am certain he will field it with the same grace, dexterity and determination that he always has! Why?  Caleb Wilson IS a baseball player!