Joshua's Memorial Service~A Mother's Memories

Kindergartener Joshua, on the right, in a Wrestling Tournament

A Mother’s Memories

“Mama, I’m going to be the Hulk, like on TV, when I grow up.”

Joshua made that announcement when he turned three, and at thirteen he began weight training. His new dream was to make it into the Navy SEALs. For two years, he read everything he could find on that career and trained, ate healthy, and drank the body-builder formulas.

Joshua, the driven one.

Right before his fifteenth birthday, his feet, hands, and elbows became painful and swollen. His dream died a slow death. Day by day. Week by week. Month by month. The diagnosis came: ankylosing spondylitis, a rare form of rheumatoid arthritis.

Joshua took a break from weight training while he and I read everything we could on how to build up his immune system. After six months of massages, saunas, hot tubs, cold pool swims, and eating organic foods, Joshua’s excessive pain eased. He went back to light weight training.

Joshua began to face reality. “Mom,” he said, “you can’t have a problem medical record and get into the SEALs.” He stared at me with a hurt look of loss. I don’t believe I understood the full extent of his sorrow until I read the journals he left for us to read.

Lord, it is so sad to watch the sorrow on my son’s face. He will no longer be able to try out for his dream goal. Please give him a new one to work toward. In Jesus’s name. Amen.

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