Sunday, May 30, 2010

Experiencing faith

I've been thinking about hope and faith a lot over the last few weeks.
I'm not sure that you can fully experience either one without some "free fall" moments sprinkled in your life. I remember being in middle school and going to Six Flags with my friend, Stacy. We waited in a line for 30-45 minutes to ride one of the newer attractions- "Free Fall". We sat on the bench, buckled up, and held our breath as the contraption climbed higher and higher. Then the machine launched us into nothingness, and we fell suddenly and quickly. I was sick to my stomach and thrilled at the same time. I remember that although I was terrified during those few short seconds, I had faith that I would be okay when I reached the bottom of the ride.
Since then, I've had some of these moments in my real life. God has taken me and launched me into nothingness.
Thrilling and sickening all at once, every single time. I've always come out of it with a better sense of who I am and who He has called me to be.
A few weeks ago my grandmother, affectionately called Mimi, was diagnosed with advanced lymphoma. The very next day she began chemotherapy.

Mimi with Annika-Easter 2009
One day, she's a generally healthy woman who volunteers, attends church, walks daily, and enjoys life and the curves it throws her. The next day, she's a cancer patient.
She was shocked, as were we all.
But she's fighting, and she's having faith that she will conquer this.
And. . . she's rocking her wig.