Standing in front of our Sunday school class, Jay shared a moment that changed his life. A stranger in the park, a little girl in a wheelchair, would be the catalyst to shake him out years of anger and frustration. If Jay Platt’s story were up on the big screen, and you went to see it, you’d be sitting in the theatre watching the events unfold and probably get angry right along with him. Jay knew early on what he wanted to do with his life. He wanted to be a United States Marine. And at 17 years of age, that’s exactly what he did. He enlisted in the Marine Corps. He did everything with excellence. It was the way Jay was wired. Every task at hand was a task to be performed to the best of his ability and more. It wasn’t enough to give 100%; the goal was at least 110%!! During his career he trained recruits as a Drill Instructor, led Marines as a Platoon Sergeant, taught survival skills as a Marine Combat Instructor of Water Survival, and developed Marine leaders as a Marine Corps University Instructor and Advisor. He taught recruits how to be a Marine. He taught people how to be winners. He believed you could overcome any obstacle that was thrown into your path. There wasn’t a challenge that would ever come his way that Jay wouldn’t conquer. There would be a challenge that would end his Marine career too early though. Cancer. Jay was diagnosed with a cancer syndrome called von Hippel Lindau (VHL). Early on, it would cause him to lose his left eye. Over the years of battling VHL, he would go on to survive four brain tumors and kidney cancer on both kidneys. Jay told our Sunday school class that he just couldn’t imagine not serving as a Marine. Everything he loved was being taken from him. What was left if he couldn’t do what he’d dreamed of doing since he was 10? Jay recalled the surgery to remove his eye. He said he had heard all the stories of people going in the hospital to have a leg or arm amputated and waking up to discover they’d taken off the wrong limb. What if that happened to him? What if they took his right eye, which was the “right” one to keep? He would be blind! He said when talking to the doctors he always said be sure and take the “correct” eye!! Three weeks later he was staring in the mirror, trying to work up the courage to remove the bandages from his face. This brave man who pledged to serve his Nation, defending it against any foe, willing to sacrifice his life to do it, was now facing one of the biggest enemies of his life. I’ll just stop here and say what we’re all thinking…..Cancer sucks! I was reading “The Broken Way” by Ann Voskamp and she wrote about a discussion she had with a cancer patient who’d told her that her doctor had once said that “the cells that only benefit themselves, are cancer cells”. That makes sense. Of course cancer cells are totally selfish! They bombard the body only to try and destroy it. Jay was not going to let it beat him but he had some huge battles to fight and one of them was with himself as he looked at his new reflection in the mirror, a face with a big, empty black hole where his eye used to be. “Monster” was one of the first words that came to mind. He felt totally disfigured. Can you imagine? So much of who we are is wrapped up in our image. For better or worse we are constantly looking in the mirror and judging ourselves by what we see. Some days we might feel pretty good about the face looking back, other days might not be so great. But what do you do when someone cuts part of your face away? Maybe it was natural to grieve. But Jay said he just grew angrier and more withdrawn. He shut people out. He cut himself off from relationships. He was depressed and lost and unsure of who he was. One day a thought occurred to him……”go to the park.” He said he wasn’t sure why, he just felt impressed to do it. You know those kind of thoughts when they come. “I wonder what so and so is doing? I should call her.” “I wonder if so and so ever got that Bible. I should pick one up.” “I wonder if so and so has been out for lunch lately? I should text her.” Maybe you do. Maybe you don’t. I think you’ll find you learn a lot from following that still small voice you’re hearing. Jay went to the park. Grumpy. Still mad at God. Still angry. Still lost. He saw them out of the corner of his eye; a woman pushing a little girl in a wheelchair. Her hands were all twisted up from some cruel disease. He began to pity the little girl for a moment when he saw her lift her head and say, “oh Mom, LISTEN, LISTEN TO THE BIRDS!” There was such rapture, such joy, such pure delight in her voice, just from hearing the birds sing. He told us, with tears in his eyes, “I couldn’t remember the last time I had listened to the birds sing.” You could have heard a pin drop in our class. Everyone was right there with him in that moment, many with tears in their own eyes now. Jay realized he had been so intent on his own anger that he let is shade his whole world. His world was one of complete darkness, even though he had one good eye. And in that moment in the park, when God allowed him to see pure joy, he knew that he wanted nothing less for his life. He was tired of spinning in the circle of self-pity, it was time to move forward. He left the park that day a different man. The circumstances hadn’t changed. He still had VHL syndrome. He was still without an eye. He was still a retired Marine. But hearing the song of the birds reminded him that in this world of cares and strife there can always be a song. Not just a song we sing in church or in our car, but the song we live out with our lives. And someone is waiting to hear it. Maybe someone on a path who feels all alone. Someone who wonders if God even knows or cares if they are alive. Someone who wonders if they’ll ever be able to sing again. Maybe, just maybe, if they hear your song, they’ll join in. Jay would tell you it’s not been easy. Jay has continued to face some battles as a result of VHL. But as Jay stood in front of our Sunday school class, the Spirit of the Lord was so present. Jay brought his private battle song of victory to us that day. Part of the verses may have included some chords of sadness and despair, but when he got to the chorus it SOARED and was JOYOUS. I’m so thankful Jay went to the park that day. And for the little girl who listened to birds.
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AuthorHi! I am Donna and I'm traveling. It's a journey to discover who I am in Christ every day....no looking back, face to the Son! Come join me! Archives
October 2017
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