Yesterday I went to the funeral of a good friend’s 90-year-old father who had been a pastor for most of his life. I’d ask a few things when that day comes for me.
Make it a celebration. Play upbeat music before and during the service. Tell funny stories. Laugh instead of cry. Have some pictures of baptisms in the video. Those moved my heart in his video. Dealing with cancer is often spoken of as a fight, which it is. The victor in the fight isn’t necessarily the one who physically overcomes the disease. Many who have lost the physical battle with cancer have died the victor. One of the most moving times for me in this battle was one of the early blogs when one of my daughters said that she knew I was a fighter. In a very real sense, I am in just round one of the fight. Though not a piece of cake, the first round has been more than tolerable. The bell is about to ring for the opening of the second round. I have watched someone very close to me fight her own battle with cancer. The bell rings today for her to come out of her corner for the third round. I have seen a fight in her that I hadn’t seen before. It makes me wonder if I can fight like she is fighting. As I sat waiting for the funeral to begin I kept watching the door, waiting to see my friend’s granddaughter arrive. I hadn’t seen her since Covid. Darcy has spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). SMA often affects the lower limbs in children. Children with SMA can usually sit up but often never walk. Darcy is a special child who has grandpa wrapped around her little finger. I believe God often blesses children who have a disability with personalities that aren’t seen in other children. What I saw when Darcy arrived was a soon to be six-year-old walking in the door using crutches that had been fashioned just for her. Giving up over four hours of my life to make the funeral was worth it for the two minutes to see her. All her life Darcy has been in a fight. There will never be a time when her fight is over in this life. My fight pales in comparison. At some point in one of the later rounds the illness may bring me to a weak point when I may consider throwing in the towel. Lord, help me then remember Darcy. She’s the model if I want to counted worthy to be called a fighter.
1 Comment
Chloe Karnes
5/7/2023 10:01:24 pm
Thank you for sharing this. I wish I could take any credit for Darcy, but I can’t. It’s truly just who she is and who God made her to be. She’s incredible. As her parents, we get to see her strength and resilience daily, but it is such a blessing to see how it impacts others when she’s around them for even a minute. Praying that in your fight, you’re able to feel the goodness of each moment and the gift that life, even in the midst of its hard parts, is to each of us.
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Chuck Cooper
Pastor at Daybreak Community Church Archives
February 2025
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