Almost two weeks ago we sat in my father’s oncologist’s office and heard the words we did not want to hear.

His cancer has spread.

Nothing prepares you for this kind of news. Even if you’ve thought about it a hundred times, prayed about a thousand–nothing prepares you.

It’s still shocking. Scary. Devastating.

So our dad has decided to proceed with a clinical trial to buy him more time.

Time.

It’s funny how we speak of buying more time, what a precious commodity it is, but really we don’t realize until moments like this.

The other day I’m standing in front of my fridge staring in a complete daze, my mind in a thousand different places, and my thirteen year old son Tyler comes into the kitchen.

“Hey mama you know what’s cool?”

“Huh?”

“Poppy found his purpose and fulfilled it.”

I can’t quite explain what it does to a mom when her teenage son speaks truth, clarity, and life back into her weary soul.

The son you bicker with almost daily.

The son that you think at times is just thirteen and not fully grasping what life is about.

I’ve been trying to find my purpose my whole life.

Aren’t we all? Aren’t we all at the end of the day wondering what in the heck our reason is for being here?

I woke up this morning thinking about how God loves a good story. You look throughout scripture and you see how God really is a drama king.

There are so many stories of redemption. Miraculous healings. The lost being found.

And I grin knowing He loves my dad’s story.

A story of a man who was once a selfish, alcoholic-drug addict, a has been father and husband, to a man who has now been sober for 22 years– whose life, story, and family has been redeemed.

As I read the scriptures in John 13 today I realized what God has done in our father’s life and His purpose for all of us.

John 13:1-5

It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He now showed them the full extent of His love. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under His power, and that He had come from God, and was returning to God; so He got up from the meal, took off His outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around His waist. After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash His disciple’s feet, drying them with a towel that was wrapped around Him.

Our dad has become the most beautiful servant us kids have ever seen. We have watched him learn to say I’m sorry. Learn to let go of pride. Learn to put a towel around his waist. And in the last 22 years he has been able to show us and many others the full extent of his love.

What a gift.

Our father who once sought the limelight, taught us to roll out the red carpet for others.

I can’t tell you how many times we have witnessed him cook a meal, make others feel so special and treat them as kings and queens at his table.

In Hollywood if you are a gorgeous celebrity and have walked the red carpet you have arrived.

In our heavenly Father’s kingdom true greatness is rolling it out for someone else.

Our father has exemplified this so beautifully.  He’s taught us true fulfillment always begins with the basin and the towel.

Are we grieving as a family? Absolutely.

Are we celebrating as a family this man who once was lost but now is found? You better believe it.

We will continue to laugh, cry, celebrate, and treasure every moment God gives us with this amazing man.

Finding our purpose on this earth is not this huge, grand thing we think we have to go chasing after. It’s right in front of us.

It’s knowing and believing who we are in Christ, that one day we will return to Him and using whatever gifts or talents He’s given us to serve others in the mean time.

May we get busy rolling out some carpets.

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