summer of bummer

i know that in lots of ways that this summer has been a tough one for our group of friends. I don't need to make a list because we are all aware of what's going on with each other. there are lots of good things, like matt and lisa getting married this weekend, or me and amanda getting married next month etc, but the heavy stuff just seems to keep hitting again and again

keith - jesse's grandma - and my cousin christopher now has cancer again. he's 26 and married. he was diagnosed with leukemia about a week after my mom died two years ago, but he beat it. super healthy and in full recovery. Last week he broke his foot playing summer-league baseball, and during a blood test they spotted it again. i think that it's stronger than before too, because they flew him from eugene to portland today to get him into an expeerimental cancer ward. they are going to do some sort of cutting edge thing that employs arsenic in his blood. nobody really knows anything at this point though.

What we have in our group of friends at this point is a wonderful opportunity to live up to our potential. for a group of people at our age and place in this life, we are pretty darn amazing. We have a social and spiritual bond that is super hard to come by in this world. it's our responsibility to rise to this occasion of super hard times. we should lift each other up continually in prayer and in speech with one another. we can encourage each other and provide great companionship. all of us know that life is far too precious and short to not do these sort of things. this is our chance as a group to really glorify christ as much as possible. i think we should jump at this chance.

i was also thinking that since there are some many people so close to us dealing with such a mighty foe, that we might want to do something visable to show our support. we could get together and buy some of the yellow wristbands that lance armstrong and livestrong.org are promoting to show support of cancer survivors, patients, and research into fighting it. let me know if any of you want to go in on some.