I remember this one day when I was about 10 years old. My love for Batman was in full swing, especially with the “new” Michael Keaton version out on video. I watched that VHS every day for months. (I’ll explain VHS later, kids.)
My sister comes running down the stairs excitedly and tells me that one of her teen magazines had a contest to meet Michael Keaton and ride in the Batmobile and she entered me. And I won!
I was flipping out! I don’t know if I’ve ever been so excited in my life. Until…
“April Fools!!”
I cried.
You would think after that, I would hate April Fools’ Day. But I can’t. Katie is an April Fools’ baby and that makes it a day to celebrate.
This year feels like someone is once again making April Fools out of us. With Katie’s recent diagnosis of Thyroid Cancer, we can’t help but think, “Really? Again?”
When people hear that Katie has been diagnosed with the same Cancer that I have already battled twice - though hers is a different variant - they are understandably shocked. So are we. What are the chances?
But this is kind of par for the course for us. Since getting married at the ripe old age of 20, we have dealt with our share of blows.
Our last week of college was canceled after a tornado hit our campus causing 20 million dollars of damage and demolishing our apartment while we were in it. It was a scary, crazy few moments as the F3 tornado hit, blew out the windows, threw a dumpster from 200 yards away into the wall we were up against, and knocked out all the gas meters. We lost many of our belongings, had college cut short, and finals were canceled. (I could have used one or two of those finals.)
After moving to Chicago with plans of a teaching job for Katie to support my seminary education, it never materialized. So we fought through 3 years there with multiple jobs and lots of credit cards.
Then I was diagnosed with Cancer.
Then, 5 years later, it came back.
Now, this.
Life sucks… April Fools.
I mean, yeah, there are a few instances and seasons of junk, but life is awesome. We have felt, seen, experienced God with us through every single one of these struggles. He has walked with us and remained faithful to us constantly. We've seen God’s people step up to love us and help us.
We have healthy, wonderful kids; healthy, supportive parents; and an amazing church family. We have much to be thankful to our Creator for, and very little to complain about.
It all depends on what we’re looking at. Are we blinded by the struggles so we miss the blessings? Too often the answer is yes. Instead, I want to be like Paul and Silas singing praises in prison. Don’t you?
This year is going to be a challenge, but out of our challenges, comes growth. And I always wanted to be taller anyway.
