Jack

It has been a long time since I have blogged about my adventures in running this year. Between the summer heat, moving out of one house and into another, I literally feel like the summer passed me by. Okay, let's just face it. I also got incredibly lazy. There it is. But we are finally settling into our new home, and with cooler weather upon us I am running out of excuses. So it is time to begin again anew. No more putting it off for another day. For we are not promised another day, as I have been so achingly reminded of this past week.

As most of you know from my recent Facebook posts, Anna, a friend since high school youth group days - and one of my sister's closest friends - tragically lost her beloved son Jack last Thursday in the catastrophic flooding we had here in Virginia. Since that time, I have felt like I was living in a suspended state of reality, one minute crying uncontrollably for the loss Anna is experiencing, another minute cursing - yes, I am sorry to say cursing - God for taking Jack away from his family, and then another minute in total denial that it even happened. And if this is what I am going through, imagine what Anna and those closest to her family are experiencing.

I have heard from many friends who didn't even know Anna that they have been brought to their knees by what has happened to her family. And I have to believe that this outpouring of support from family, friends, and strangers has to be buoying all of them. So thank you. And please keep Anna, Tim, and their lovely daughter Margaret in your ongoing prayers.

Far more eloquent posts have been published about the miracle we all witnessed when Anna stood before more than 1,000 people and flawlessly paid tribute to Jack at his memorial service. Somehow, inexplicably, she managed to make us laugh, cry, and reflect upon her son's amazing 12 years. His strong, unflinching faith, his sincerity and kindness, his love for his family, his ability to be truly and purely joyful, his uniqueness. We all came to know better this precious boy who loved God and legos. And as I write this, I am looking at the cross made of legos that many of us wore at Jack's memorial service. As my sister said, "Jack would have loved this."

If I learned anything from the living nightmare of this past week, anything at all, it would be to take not one second for granted. I am holding my boys tighter, snuggling longer, and kissing them even more (much to their embarrassment). I am telling people that I love them. A lot. I am going to keep doing this, too. So, get used to it. And I am going to start running again. Because I can. Because I have been blessed with another day on this Earth.

Play with legos. Love your family. Be joyful. Run. For Jack.