What’s in a Name?

A principal phone call blessing

Our phone rang at one o’clock in the morning. It was Mike, the principal of Joshua’s high school. He asked Jordan, my husband, if Joshua had come home from the basketball game the night before. He had, Jordan said. Mike then asked Jordan to ask Joshua if he had seen Rob, a classmate, who had not yet come home after the game.

Jordan told Mike he would call him back if Joshua knew where Rob was, then he went to our son’s room. As he opened the door and switched on the light, Jordan saw Joshua fall out of bed and begin convulsing on the floor. Joshua was having his first low blood-sugar reaction. Jordan shouted for me to get the Glucagon. I gave Joshua the shot while Jordan called our volunteer fire department.

We were so frightened, yet on the way to the hospital, Jordan and I realized we had experienced a miracle. Joshua had come home from the game, had his snack, and said good night to us at midnight. There was no reason to check on him after he went to bed. If Mike had not called us about Joshua’s missing classmate, Joshua might have lain unconscious on the floor until morning. He could have suffered brain damage. He could have died.

Why had Mike called us? Joshua and Rob were classmates, not close friends. Our explanation? In Hebrew, Joshua’s name means “saved by God.” We are truly blessed.