2. Michael
Michael loved warm and sunny Oregon afternoons though few as they were. Today was a perfect day and as he made his way home from school he was excited about Graduation, finally the day had arrived. He could hardly wait to see the look on his mother’s face as he crossed the stage and received his diploma. It seemed this day would never come and they had both been through so much to get here, it was as much her graduation day as Michaels.
Michael thought about the past five years. The boy he was when he began his freshman year, excited and naive as to the hard work ahead. All he thought about was the fun he would have, the fraternity he‘d join, the girls, the parties. His mother didn’t realize the true reason for his excitement, though his father had understood.
The Keller’s were a devout Christian family. Michael was raised in the church and had been baptized as a teenager. His mother prayed and prayed for that day and well, caught up in the moment at high school camp, he just went down and jumped in the water. The youth Pastor seemed happily surprised, most likely because Michael had shown little interest until that moment. But things were different after that. Michael felt different. He knew long before his public display that his heart belonged to God, but it was different after the baptism, sort of like a step in the right direction. His mother cried when she heard, his dad just patted him on the back and said, “they finally wore you down eh?” He grinned at Michael and Michael understood that he was teasing. But he also understood that his father took their faith a lot less seriously than his mother.
Eli Keller was a hard working man that owned his own construction business. He worked hard labor six out of seven days a week and if they were working on a subdivision, seven days a week. His father worked hard so sometimes he said he liked to play hard. That was what worried Naomi. The way he played hard, he and the boys would go out for Pizza and beers and usually Dad took it too far. But he always repented and said it was all in the name of harmless fun. He couldn’t very well refuse the invitations of his men; they worked darn hard for him and might take it as an insult. It was a sign of respect that they invited him in the first place.
Michael remembered hearing the conversation several times. Only one night when Eli stayed out late after work he came home really sick. Over the next several days it became more evident that he was not getting well and they eventually learned that Eli had pancreatic cancer and it was already spreading into the rest of his body.
That was the day when there life would change forever. Dad had insisted that Michael, starting his junior year then, stay in school but by the end of winter term the cancer was so aggressive and with his father’s rapid decline physically, Michael dropped out of school, never intending to return.
In April his father passed. Michael was never more depressed in his life. His mother was trying to hold it together and kept telling Michael to lean on the Lord now. Her faith was good for her and Michael did not want to hurt Naomi more, but Michael was angry at God! Angry because Michael had prayed so often over the past year and pleaded with God to please heal his dad and to please save him from the cancer, but his dad just got worse and worse.
Michael remembered one day in March his father talked to him about what was going to happen. “Michael, I know you have been praying for me son.” Eli looked sternly into Michaels eyes.
“Everyone has dad, you’re going to get better.”
“No Michael, I’m not, I am going to die.” Eli paused for a minute, still holding his gaze on Michael. Michael looked away. He continued, “I want you to know that… because I want you to understand.” Eli was having a hard time getting his words out. His emotions were riding high now and he didn’t want to break down in front of his son. He took in a breath, barely able to breathe deep at all and let it out slowly. “I have had a good life Michael, I have had more good in my life than I deserved. The love of a good woman, the son any man would dream of having, and the mercy of God to give me the days here that I have had.”
“But Dad…” Michael was crying now and he couldn’t finish his sentence, he had a hard time listening to this. He wanted to jump up and scream at his dad, No! No! You’re giving up dad! Don’t just give up! But he couldn’t say those things, he wouldn’t.
“Please let me finish son.” Tears streaming down Eli’s face as well. “Sometimes we pray for things and well, it’s just not God’s will, that’s all, but He knows better than we do. I am going to heaven and you will see me there son. Please hear me, I love you son and I don’t want to see you waste time here feeling sorry for me or worse, angry with God.”
Both sat there in the hospital room, quietly sobbing, unable to move.
Michael heard his father that day but he didn’t want to believe it. He wanted to believe that his Father was going to get well and things would be back to the way they were, before the cancer. He wouldn’t have let himself believe anything else.
After his father passed Michael forgot about that conversation for quite a while and in anger turned to drinking and partying. He caught up with his frat buddies every weekend. It was his friends and the constant persuading of his mother that led him back to school after taking over a year off. Michael was planning to work his father’s business, taking it over and eventually get his Contractors license, but his mother would not hear a word of that. She insisted that his father had sacrificed and saved for Michael to go to college and that is what he would do. Naomi could live on the humble life insurance policy and get a part-time job and Michael would finish school.
Thinking back on everything they had been through made Michael want to cry. His mother had been right of course. This was something he needed to do, for himself and his father. The sense of accomplishment was overwhelming. Now he could start working full-time, he could start living, and he and his mom would really have a new start.
As Michael turned into his drive he could hardly believe what he saw, his mother had pulled his father’s old jeep out of the garage, only it was all cleaned up and there was a big ribbon on it. Michael ran over to the jeep and picked up the card on the hood.
Dear son, I can’t tell you how proud I am of you. I wanted to surprise you with something special for graduation, so I had Oscar working on the jeep when you weren’t home to get it running for you. Oscar says it has quite a few good years left in it. It’s something your father would have wanted you to have, I love you, Mom.
Michael was so surprised, he ran into the house and gave his mom a huge hug practically knocking her over. “Mom, I’m seriously shocked. Thank you so much.” He squeezed her again picking her up and twirling her around, her five foot frame barely weighing anything to him. “I love you Mom,” he said as he released her.
“I love you too son and I am so happy for you.” Naomi, catching her breath, wanted to say more, but she held her words inside for now. Lord, help Michael find his way back to you.
“Well tomorrow’s the big day! I have one last meeting tonight at the house and then after graduation tomorrow, I am done with that place!” Michael wandered towards the kitchen to peruse for food.
Naomi knew what he meant by “meeting,” sure he was in leadership in the fraternity, but Naomi could only imagine the kind of party they had planned for their graduates. Michael had been careful to not let his mother in on his party life, but she knew the signs all the same. She prayed every time he went out, for his safety and for God’s hand to be on his life. But he was leaving the school now and his life would be different. Naomi had so much hope for Michael’s future. The hope of him walking with the Lord, marrying a strong godly woman and starting a family. This was Naomi’s dream for Michael and she shared it with God frequently.
Michael couldn’t have felt more excited. His life was moving forward. He liked that. So on to the next thing. He was a go-getter. But tonight, tonight he would have fun and if he were lucky, which he often was, maybe he would meet up with the amazing girl he ran into today. Just maybe.
We were not ready to rush into the throws of full ministry however and no one knew us. So we joined the Barbeque ministry. This was the best thing for us. We could do it as a family. It was seasonal. It was not every week and we would get to meet a ton of people.
