Just His Time

I had barely crawled into bed when I received a startling phone call a short two hours later.  My mom was on the other end trying to pull me from a peaceful sleep back into a harsh reality.  "Kassy!  Kassy!  I need you to be awake!  I need you to get to the hospital now!" 

My body was shaking and my mind was panicking as I made the short and unwanted drive to the local hospital.  I spent the less than two minute drive begging God for none of it to be true.  "Please God; let this be a false alarm.  Don't let it be true!"

As I started walking to the Emergency Room doors, my niece quickly came over to me.  As she clung to me with teary eyes and a broken heart, I realized that it was not a false alarm.  It was true.  He was gone.  My step-brother was gone.

With nothing left to do at the hospital, I climbed in my car and let the pain and shock flood me.  Sitting in the empty parking lot, I decided to be honest with God...at the top of my lungs.  "Why did this happen God?!  Why did this have to be a part of your plan?!  Why would you let this happen to us?!  Haven't we been through enough?!  Can't you just give us a break?!" 

In the days following my step-brother's accident, I couldn't help but ask God how this could happen.  My shock wouldn't allow me to understand.  He was the best motorcycle rider any of us had ever known.  My dad had the best answer to this question at my step-brother's funeral service.  "I didn't understand how this could happen.  That man was so cautious and skilled on his motorcycle.  He taught me how to ride.  Well, the only real answer I could come up with was that it was just his time."

My dad was right.  It was just his time.  My step-brother taught me valuable lessons that no other person could.  Live your life everyday to the fullest.  Never pass up the opportunity to make a new friend.  Don't underestimate your abilities to change a life by being a friend.  Be devoted to your job and your hobbies.  Love your family with an extreme passion.  Life is short, but use your time to leave a legacy that will live beyond your own years. 

God always has a plan.  We don't know what it is, and sometimes we won't like it very much.  But he promises to always work something good out of what is bad.  "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."  (Romans 8:28, NIV)  I know one thing is for sure; my step-brother is in a much better place than I am.  He is peacefully at the feet of my mighty Savior!   I can only imagine what it will be like.