Scars and Stupidity

While sitting out on the porch yesterday with my Momma and baby Ben, I was reflecting back on my *slightly* younger days and the scars on my body that were brought about by my own stupidity. My Momma seems to think they are reminders of my rebellious ways...I still go with stupidity.

The scar on my tummy is from my naval ring I got at 18 with my ex boyfriend. It seemed like a good idea until Momma saw it 24 hrs later. I think she threw a loaf of bread at me.

The scar on my left thigh is from my jumping onto a file cabinet freshman year. Don't ask....

When it comes to my scar from my c-section due to having a baby.... the root of that might be rebellious ways ;)

I should have known Sunday, March 14th wasn't go to be an ordinary day when I found myself sitting in labor and delivery at Baptist Desoto with Momma due to reeeeeally high blood pressure, answering medical history questions, again....

"Do ya do drugs? Smoke? drink?" my nurse drawled as she typed my answers into a computer next to my bed. "No...no...I wish" I replied. Everything seemed pretty okay until she asked that question every girl over eighteen dreads while sitting next to Momma-Aside from "Are you sexually active?" The cat's outta the bag on that one already.

"Do you have any tattoos?"

*Dead Silence*

It took Momma about 5 seconds to realize I hadn't answered. "Mary Kathryn Flanagan Merrifield!".

and that's when I knew things were only going to get crazier...

Sure enough, by 6:30pm that Sunday night my doctor decided we were going in for an emergency c-section to get little Benny out. At 7:52pm James Bennett Merrifield was born. Almost Exactly 21 years from the day James Bennett Flanagan jr was born, and three days from the 5th anniversary of his death- His namesake-Baby Ben was brought into this world kicking and screaming.

The decisions I made that led up to Baby Ben's life may sometime have seemed not very wise, but the Lord makes beauty from the ashes of our lives- and the child of my (perhaps) rebellious ways is the reason for my most important scar-And a picture of Christ perfect grace and healing.