My friend Kris

Kris and I were both in Ontario jumping through a Presbyterian hoop called Guidance conference in 2003. Basically, we were brought out to Ontario to be in a community of other people looking towards ordination and there are a bunch of ministers and elders there watching us interact and grill us to see if we are 'worthy'. Strange system. Anyhow, Kris and I were talking about how awful and pretentious of a system we have.

Somewhere through our conversation, we had a few minutes where he opened up about his family - particularly his daughter Katie that was having some serious health issues and how it affected him and his family. We got sharing about our kids - how important family was - and how everything else in life pales in comparison to it. How we'd give anything for our kids, how vulnerable they are, how we needed to learn to trust God deeper and more. Had it not been for Kris, guidance conference would have really sucked.

A year later, Kris and his family are in a major car accident and everyone but Katie is killed.

This morning, out of nowhere, a thanksgiving is given from a lady in the church about katie and I'm done. I guess I never really had a chance to work out losing my friend. To work out how God allowed this to happen. How much it would break my friend's heart to know that his precious little girl would grow up not knowing his mom, dad and sister. It shouldn't have happened. It wasn't right. Kris was my age and at the prime of his life and the beginning of what would be an awesome ministry. He was one of the few truly faithful, godly men of integrity I knew.

So tonight, I'm going to enjoy my kids and family. That's what Kris would tell me to do. I can't even imagine losing them. But I guess Kris hasn't lost them. It's just Katie - for now.