Have you ever walked away from meeting a person desperately wanting to get to know them more? Even in a short meeting you are intrigued by their depth and love of life and desire to know more of it. Its kind of like only getting a tiny crumb of your favorite dessert and hungrily craving more of its decadence.
I just met Andy Lance for the first time this weekend. I’ve heard small snippets about him from the rest of his family while I was in Thailand, but since he was in the States getting his nursing degree, I never met him face to face. He is an effervescent blond hair, brightly blue-eyed guy who’s humor and love of life exudes from every pore and goofy expression. His idea of a healthy diet is a glass of Metamucil (“The Colon is so important!”) in the morning and anything he can fit on his plate for lunch and dinner. His love for his family and Stephanie propel him to envision “Andyville”, a self-sufficient city made up of his family, powered by a windmill and laughter. He loves to talk in verse and calls himself a “lyrical genius” while sporting his well thought out outfit of a pink polo, gray pants and loafers. Unlike Barrett and I who love to go out to eat, he and Stephanie would rather cook at home…if you can call it that. I hear that water is the sauce of choice for everything (even mac and cheese) and Amanda’s help is needed when cooking a baked potato. On campus he would ask random people to lunch as he hated eating alone and treated each person like long lost friends. When shaking your hand you got the added bonus of your thumb being cracked and there is no picture with him in it that doesn’t show him with his arm around someone and he never left a conversation (whether on the phone or in person) without saying “I love you!”
I got to know Andy through hundreds of pictures and the mouths of his treasured family and loved ones. As I sat on the front pew during visitation hours at church I saw the hundreds, maybe over a thousand, people stream through to give their condolences to the Lance family for his untimely death. I watched the picture slideshow, heard people tell “Andy Stories” and celebrate his God honoring life. I listened (laughed and cried) to Amanda, Stephanie, Mr. and Mrs. Lance, Andrew and Beth tell their favorite memories of him and create a vivid and colorful 3-D picture of their adored Andy. I heard the pastor challenge everyone to rejoice with Andy’s life and his presence in heaven and charge us to live our lives like he did, loving Jesus and grabbing a hold of life.
My words were few this weekend. My understanding was void. My tears flowed frequently when thinking about his family experiencing everyday life without him and seeing their pain while trying to comprehend why God took Andy so soon. God tells us in His word to trust in His sovereignty and goodness even when we, like Job, do not understand the why’s. He praised God in the midst of his pain and tears. The Psalmist often cries out to God in anger, confusion, and pain and yet rejoices in God by the end recalling God’s character and promise of a Deliverer. Despite the lack of getting it, he trusts God’s words of a hope in a redeemer who conquered death so we might live with Him forever by believing in Him. What a gift!
I want to thank the Lance family and Stephanie for introducing me to Andy. Please know that his death has impacted my life. I want my family and friends to know that I love Jesus first, just as Andy told his family just a week ago, and I want them to always know how much I love them. I never want to miss an opportunity to serve people or to enjoy a dinner at home with Barrett, even if its dry chicken and wet mac and cheese.
“The righteous cry, and the LORD hears And delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted And saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all.” Ps 34:17-19