Kelsey's 6 year home-going anniversary

Six Years Home and Still His Miracles

I pray you have the endurance to stick with this story and see God's amazing love and grace to all of His creation. This story just might release you from the burden of who's in the White House or who is or isn't allowed in the country or any of the other current distractions. This is a story of God's love for all the world. And it starts with my Kelsey's journey through her life.

Some may say this is just an attempt at this old man's search for meaning in a meaningless situation. That coincidence is playing tricks on me. But I think not. Piecing this story together is going to take some time. There are some details that you need to know to truly understand my vision of what I believe God is up to. So I begin with some facts.

Fact one, I used to coach basketball at Monroe Central years ago. I got out of it because my family needed the time it was taking for their coaching needs. I really have not desired to be involved with MC basketball since I left. Up until last Tuesday night, I hadn’t been to a varsity game at our high school gym since then.

Fact two, one of the friends I sat with at the game Tuesday I literally see twice a year at the opening and closing faculty meeting we have each year for work. We used to have other interests years ago being that we were both home schooling parents and our children interacted in home schooling coops. In fact, this is where Kelsey and his son met and dated for a time.

Fact three, my friend from the game hadn't been to many games this year either, this possible was the third.

Fact four, Kelsey's home going was 6 years ago on the second of February.

So with these facts let me try to explain what I see as God marvelous grace and love for all people.

I have recently had this strange interest in the girls’ basketball team. Yes, there are many former students, and yes, they are achieving record breaking feats. But, there have been other MC sports with the same kinds of successes, and I wasn't drawn to them like I have been to this team. Something else seemed to be pulling at me to go see this team play. So I did. I went to their last two regular season games. And they are good and entertaining. After the last regular season game, I told my wife if they got out of their sectional, I may want to watch them at state. But, I really had no plan to go to any sectional games as they are in a tough sectional, and I didn't want to go and watch them possibly lose. My thought process was, “Let them prove themselves and then I'd spend the money.” But something told me I needed to see them in that Tuesday night sectional opener. So, I went last minute and didn't plan on sitting with anyone. I hadn't told anyone I was going until that evening.

Coincidence or divine appointment, you decide.

So I sat down and was watching warm-ups and my friend, the one I see twice a year, comes and sits next to me. He too doesn't know why he decided to come but he likes the team and all that stuff. We begin having pleasant conversation. During this conversation, we go back to a time when we were looking for a miracle for Kelsey and Karly and had a stem cell drive at my church. Neither he nor his son went to my church at the time and although his son had dated Kelsey, they were simply friends. But because of their friendship, he had participated in this stem cell drive. Fast-forward to the ball game. My friend tells me that his son had recently gotten a call from the stem cell registry and he was a match for someone in Australia. His son had begun the process of donating his stem cells for transplant to Australia.

Kelsey knew that the chances of finding a match for her were like winning the lotto. But one of the reasons was she wanted to run the drive was to help others. She was trying to do her part so that God could do His part, possibly for her, but certainly with the thought that somebody else may find their match as well. I knew Kelsey's heart in this. Her transplant was to go second (after Karly) but wanted to go first in hopes that, successful or not, they would know more about this untried procedure before Karly had to endure it. Since Karly had the cancer, she was scheduled to go first. Then that changed when Kelsey's health diminished in her last months before transplant. Her heart was for the research, the ground breaking leading to cure.

So here we are, over six year past her passing, and I am at a basketball game hearing about how Kelsey's effort has again been responsible for the possibility of another life changing miracle. I should mention that Kelsey's failed transplant led the transplant team away from that method to other methods that have had great success including Karly's victorious transplant.  But this is just another in a long lists of things God has shown me my daughter's life has had a major role in achieving.

So to recap, because of Tammy and my religious convictions and Kelsey's health issues, we choose to home school. Kelsey meets a young man and because of their friendship he joins Be The Match. Over six years later, someone around the world is found to be a perfect match to that young man and will be receiving the life giving stem cells he needs in a transplant. And I hear about this miracle “2 days” before the anniversary of my Kelsey's home going.

You can think what you want. I believe God knew this man in Australia would need this transplant from the beginning of time. He has orchestrated this whole process to get those cells for him. God cares for His people and has a plan for their lives. And he reminds me with this precise timing just so I can brag about his marvelous grace and love.

What a wonderful life my daughter got to live. Oh, it was tough as nails but in hindsight she was a blessing to so many. And now you know the rest of the story. Praise GOD! :)

One parting thought. God's love is personal! He love's that person in Australia with this miracle gift and he loves me with His words of confirmation, and he loved Kelsey with His special mission only she could have accomplished. And His love is personal for you too!

Dad