Yes. I’ve broken both of my arms, but not at the same time. Interestingly enough, the bone was broken in the same place in the arm on both sides. Which arm did I break first? I don’t remember.
Slip and Fall
The first time I broke my arm, I was at a friend’s house. It had been raining and we were outside on her metal swing set in the back yard. I was climbing up the ladder and slipped, fell over backward, and hit my arm against the railing.
That break didn’t make a big impression on me except that it was not pleasant. Getting it re-set was worse than the break. I’m sure I had a cast. Can’t remember how old I was. I recall that I was in elementary school.
Too Much TV
The second time I broke my arm, I was at a church bazaar/festival. There were games and they sold tickets. A ticket would get you five minutes on the trampline. They called time and I got one last jump in. I yelled “Oh, what a feeling! Toyota” and BAM, hit my arm on the outer edge of the trampoline.
I knew immediately that it was broken. So my plan was to hide it from my Dad. If he found out, I’d have to go to the doctor and get it set again. I caught up with my Dad and he asked why I was cradling my arm. I answered that I wasn’t. He said, “Let go of it then.” I did, then picked it up and began holding it. My plan didn’t work. He took me to the hospital.
Don’t Let Them See You Cry
Shortly thereafter, I went back to the same doctor that had set my other arm. I remember this vividly. When you break an arm, the doctor has to set it back in place or it won’t grow back properly. A grown man was putting all of his pressure on my arm to get it set.
I was brave. No tears………..until he left the room. He wasn’t going to see me cry. Later when he came back into the room, he saw that I had been crying. He complemented me and said he would have cried too and might not have made it until the doctor left.
No Broken Bones
Thinking of broken bones reminds me that in scripture the Israelites were to celebrate Passover no matter where they are.
“They are to eat the lamb, together with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones.”
Numbers 9:11-12 (NIV) emphasis mine
“But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,…”
John 19:33-36 (NIV) emphasis mine
In this time we are going through now with broken dreams, broken homes, broken bones and broken hearts, we need to look towards the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. He didn’t suffer from broken bones, but he hurts when we hurt.
Look towards Christ and thank him for all he has done for you and for all of us and stay away from trampolines.
