Day 21 - July 6 - Keep On, Keeping On!

I got off the phone with Eric a bit ago where we had one of our daily back & forth's... It goes like this...

He gives me the update and we talk about progress.

Then we talk about how progress isn't really progress at all, because even good news can become twisted into bad news.

And then we talk about buying into the lie.

And then we look for some type of silver-lining.

And then we tarnish the silver-lining until it doesn't shine at all.

And then I'll normally try to make a stupid joke or let my mouth go blah, blah, blah. It's normally an attempt to break the tension or bring things back around, but I too (like Brad) often feel as qualified for this position as one of Job's friends.

And then we realize that the pessimists in us need a good poke in the eye from the optimists in us... but sometime's the optimist just doesn't want to show up.

We often talk about the will of God. We often talk about Thy will and not my will. We often talk about trying to enjoy the morsals of hope that God gives to us daily... it's just on days like today we'd rather just brush them aside.

For as long as I can remember my siblings and I have ended our cross-country conversations with one of us saying, "Love you, man!" and the other saying, "Love you, too!", so it's nothing new for us. But I guess over the last few weeks we not only hear it, but we feel it.

After I hung up the phone I started thinking about church... about how it's not about showing up on Sunday morning with a plastic smile and a "good to see you!" But how it's about truly being there when someone needs it. To listen to someone's problems. To walk the darkened road with them. Today Eric was there for me.

You see, were brothers in flesh and blood, but we're also brothers in faith. It doesn't get much better than that!

Being the youngest of four kids I'm used to being called other names (some of which are appropriate for mixed company). Most of the time it's our Mom calling me "Eric" or "Brad" or yes, even an old dog's name, "Snap!" Tonight Eric called me "Connor".

It wasn't his first time doing this, and I'm sure it won't be his last, but it was the first time since this whole ordeal began. Eric corrected himself and we moved right along in the conversation, but tonight it hit me a little harder than normal. It hung in the air a little longer.

I know my brother hurts. I know he would do anything to have Connor back on his feet. I know he would change places with Connor in a heartbeat if God would only give him the chance. The depth of this hurt goes way beyond the core of Eric's being. It penetrates his very soul. Pray for him... and pray for us all.

Our dad has a saying that all of us Williamson kids have heard a thousand times. Whenever the road got rough or we'd stumble or fall, he'd tell us, "keep on, keeping on!" Eric could have had that tatooed on his arm! It was the "hold fast" that we grew up with.

So that's where we are right now. Pray that we'll all just keep on, keeping on!

Thanks,

Kent
Virginia