| RANDY Never have I known a man that made me consider life's purpose as much as my young friend Randy Marshall. |
| Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (NKJV) To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens: 2 A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; 3 A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4 A time to weep, a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; |
| I had the pleasure of having Randy as a student for two years of his junior high career. The very first day he walked into class and immediately began telling jokes and making people laugh I knew he was something special. Being that it was a Christian jr high, we always seemed to break into discussions that would lead us back to the same subject: God. Randy could talk about the subject with such conviction that you KNEW what he was saying was the honest truth. You could see in everything he did his love for God. On one particular day someone asked the class what they thought life's purpose was. There was a variety of responses, but Randy's sticks in my mind the most. "To serve God. To do anything He asks of us without question. To be completely at His will." Amazing it was to me that a 15 year old boy believed so much in a huge responsibility. I always wondered when it would be Randy's turn to have his faith tested. But when it was, it was no wonder how he handled it. Close to the end of his eighth grade year Randy was diagnosed with a form of kidney cancer rarely found in young people. His treatment began immediately. Such a tough battle for a young person to handle. I never once heard Randy question his situation. I never heard of him praying to ask God why he had to be tested in such a fashion. I'm sure Randy just knew that whatever happened was God's will and he would do whatever came along with it. Randy fought the cancer long and hard for nearly an entire year. He was sick his whole freshman year of high school, but I never heard him complain. Finally, by the end of that freshman year, Randy had beat it. Ironically, in February of 2000, just nine months after Randy's ordeal had ended, I was diagnosed with the same form of cancer he had kicked. My choice of treatment would be different however. Randy had undergone months of chemo and radiation therapy, I chose to simply go under the knife and have it removed. When I was diagnosed the first person I called was Randy. We actually laughed about it. It was good to laugh. The day before my operation Randy came to me at the hospital. Our conversation went like this: Randy came in and we said a prayer. He then sat there for several silent seconds before saying, "Mr G., I know how tough this stuff is. It sucks, real bad. But I believe with all my heart, if I can make it, you can make it." And I did. It was a battle, but I did. Unfortunately, about eight months later Randy was rediagnosed with the same cancer again. He was prepared to fight as before, but this time it was a hundred times harder. I went to him when he was very sick, and we prayed. We both said a prayer for his health and well being. It was one of the most difficult things I've ever had to do. To sit there and look at such a fine young man as his life was slipping away. I didn't know what to say except for the words that a very wise man once said to me. "Randy," I said with tears on my face, "If I can make it, you can make it." He looked back at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Mr. G. I KNOW I can. I know it. But there is something more for me to do. He needs me and He's waiting for me." It was all I could do to nod my head and kiss him on the forehead. I stood and left. Randy passed on to his next mission three days later. His mother called me and asked if I would speak and sing at his funeral. It was an honor. Never have I been at more of a loss for words than I was at the funeral for that amazing 17 year old boy. I decided I could sing more than I could speak, and the two songs I sang can be found by following the links bellow. May we all live with a love for God as great as my young friend's. I miss you, Ran. |
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| 5 A time to cast away stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; 6 A time to get, a time to lose; a time to keep and a time to cast away; 7 A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; 8 A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. |