Perspective

It's 12:07 and I should be in bed. After the way I felt today after getting 9 hours of sleep, I should be aiming for that again.

But I can't.

I'm talking to someone online.

And this isn't just any someone. This is a someone who's been through a WHOLE HECK of a lot. Adam Long. I went to high school with him. He was like a little brother, always teasing and trying to prove to me that he was a good kid. He knew where I stood with God and things and it was just really cool. This kid, age 21 was diagnosed with cancer and was so close to death that I was just waiting for the call from my mom to tell me he was gone. I prayed for him so much. While he was going through chemo and the fight for his life, his dad was diagnosed with cancer.

Adam's dad passed away Wednesday morning.

He sent me a message first. I was sooo surprised. Really? Adam is talking to me? A day after his dad died? It's so awkward. Death is always awkward and hard and strange and hurtful, and sad, and bllllahhhhhhhh. What do you say? How do you make him feel better through words on a screen? How long do you talk about his dad's death? How do you write things without making them sound all cheesy and bible answery? After you've talked to him about everything about his dad and about how AMAZING God is that he's still alive to comfort his mom while his dad has passed away...then what? What do I say that he hasn't heard a million times from everyone else?

He tells me that his dad asked God to take his life instead of Adam's. Now he is going to live life to the fullest for him and his dad. He says he had accepted it a couple months ago so he's doing okay right now. His mom isn't so good, but he says he has 2 good shoulders for her to cry on. He's there to help. That's the amazing part. He's here. He didn't die when everyone thought he was going to. He's here. Praise God. I think he's now officially in remission and making plans to attend nursing school to become a chemo nurse. He wants to help people who are going through what he went through. He also figures that he'll get a one-up on his resume--- been there, done that, and have the bald head to prove it.

And the greatest, most amazing thing about this is.....Adam's dad became a believer just days before he died.


Yesterday, I complained about stepping in a puddle and not having my chapel skit work right. And now I'm talking to a guy who's life was saved and whose dad just died.

Puts things into perspective. God is good. All the time.

It's 12:46, and I'm going to keep talkin' away until he says good night. I can't be there to give him a hug, but I can talk to him online.

Who needs sleep anyhow.....?