Is it wrong to pray for my son to have appendicitis?! Did Alma pray specifically for his son to fall to the earth and to be struck dumb? (that would work too) You know they tell us to be specific in our prayers... but how specific do we need to be? Now mind you, my son is not out there trying to destroy the church... but this new crazy idea of his, to hitchhike across America, terrifies me! Did Alma pray for that specifically or did he pray for the wellbeing of his son and put his faith in the Lord, knowing that He knows what is best and that He will help your son to have the experiences necessary to learn what he's supposed to learn? These are things I ponder when I feel worried about my son. I know he is strong and smart and capable but there are a lot of crazy things and crazy people out there. So... I have told him how I feel about this adventure... and then his wise older sister suggested that it might be best to not give him too much opposition or he would be all the more determined to do it. That sounded like good advise to me so I have backed off a bit at telling him how much I don't like that idea.
We were recently at a wedding reception for a young lady from our previous ward and it was so fun to see so many people from that era of our lives. Anyway, Kendon went to the reception also and people were giving their input on his plans to hitchhike across America. Most of the women were saying "that's crazy... or dangerous... or scary!" Most of the men were saying... "that's so cool!"... (trying to be all macho with one another... ...men! ...seriously! Are you encouraging this behavior?!) I heard at least one person say they wanted to go with him. Anyway, I just told everyone I was praying for him to get appendicitis. Everyone thought that was so funny, but what they don't know is that I am serious!!!
So I decided to pray for him to have a positive experience that would deter him from this hitchhiking trip. So now he is talking to these coaches from Concordia University in Wisconsin. They have a great wrestling program and they are very impressed with Kendon's HS wrestling record. The coach said, "so you were a 2 time state contender?" and Kendon told him he was a 4 time contender and a 2 time placer at state... then the coach was even more impressed! Kendon has continued since high school to participate in wrestling programs, starting a remedial program when he was up at BYU Idaho, helping to coach the Thatcher HS team down at EA and also starting and coaching a program for youth in our area. Anyway, he has decided to apply for a wrestling scholarship at Concordia University... I think he is really excited about it! That would mean... no hitchhiking trip!!! He'd have to start training during the summer. He wasn't fat by any means, but he's already cut about 10 pounds as he has started working on training for this new much more positive adventure, feeling good and fit! Don't know how it will all end up because the University tuition is really expensive if he doesn't have a scholarship, but for now things are taking a much more positive direction, I hope. Concordia has a beautiful campus overlooking Lake Michigan. One of the coaches told him when he comes out this summer they'll have to go ice fishing... :) Ice fishing in the summer!?
Hitchhiking? Appendicitis? Wrestling scholarship? .... I think I'll pray for the wrestling scholarship!!!
