Crystal: of Charm & Courage

Of and Dedicated to my friend Crystal. 

It has been one week since my westward journey to the desert of Tucson.  A journey to meet new friends.  New friends from Gather.com.  The friends of course are Gaedith Olsen and her wonderful, precious daughter Crystal.  Of course the journey didn't start last week; many of you will remember it started several months ago when some of you received this very special prayer request, entrusted to me and shared with you.  A prayer request that was overwhelmingly received and acted upon by many of the beautiful souls of Gather, by many throughout our nation and by a few from countires as far away as Germany, England and Australia.  Acted upon on such scale and devotion that the Lord took notice and made tonight's article and Crystal's continuing saga possible. 

A prayer request for a young girl of 21, driving from Tucson to San Antonio.  A loss of consciousness.  An horrific car crash.  Miraculous survival.  The diagnosis of a brain tumor.  And a young girl's brave and selfless walk into the unknown.  That is only the beginning.

The Original Prayer Request & Article      *(if link does not work cut/paste address below)

Now, having met this young girl face-to-face, having talked with her and laughed with her and having seen the most beautiful love between a mother and a daughter; I have a little to share with you all in addition to my eternal thanks. 

I did not know what I would find when I turned off I-10 at exit 270 in Arizona.  Oh, sure, I knew I would find Gaedith and Crystal waiting on me in a Jeep, pulled off to the side of the road.  But would I find two heart-broken and bitter souls unable or unwilling to cope with the hand the Lord had allowed fate to deal them or would I find hope, peace and love; or maybe something in between?  And how would I react?  In my experience I have found praising God to be easy but defending Him can be a tough task.  For me, an unwelcomed task.  My faith takes a beating sometimes when I find myself in the inenvious position of having to defend the Lord because for the most part I find myself ignorant of the ways of the Lord.

As I followed them to their house, these thoughts played over and over again in my mind.  But one conclusion kept standing out; I was there because it was the Lord's will that I be there and ignorant or not of all other things, that revelation was all that I would need no matter what I found, as I pulled into their driveway, reached behind my seat and took out my little Christmas present I had picked up along the way for Crystal.  A pink hat.  For Gaedith, a bouquet.  Let me tell you all; my worries, my anxieties, they were in vain.  The Lord had already wrapped these two beautiful ladies in His arms long before I ever got on the highway in San Antonio.  And He was already there.

What I found were two of the prettiest, friendliest smiling faces that ever graced my eyes.  I was received as a long-lost friend and their first concerns were of me and if my trip had been safe.  Their second order of business was showering my dog with a display of love and affection.  The rest of the day was a kalaidescope of activity as Gaedith and Crystal were more into showing me hospitality than offering me their woes.  First, it was a whirlwind trip up into the mountains.  Beautiful mountains.  Those of you who have seen my most recent images can attest to that.  Once up on the summit, above the tree-line and above the snow-line (yes, there was snow!), the three of us walked hand-in-hand, talked, laughed and enjoyed the awesome scenery.  It was a brief encounter but more than long enough to feel the presence of God.  To feel His reassurance all around us saying that He was still very much in control of His will and that worrying was somehow unnecessary.

After the mountains, came dinner, then a movie and finally a little quiet time back within the loving confines of their home.  I felt that I was the most welcomed stranger being cared for by two lovely angels.  That concludes the physical itinerary of my visit.  Now for the spiritual.

At 21, I found Crystal to be the most courageous, most endearing and most selfless soul for one facing such grand tribulation as I have ever found in anyone, of any age.  She talked direct and very matter-of-factly about the invading tumor and of the treatments she is enduring.  At no time, during the entire course of my visit, did her voice break down into self-pity or anger.  Of course, she would rather this cup had not been handed to her, just as our own Lord once prayed in the Garden of Gethesamine that a certain cup not be handed to Him; but just as the Lord, Crystal has embraced the fact that the cup is hers. 

She was able to laugh and to make me feel as though I was the special one instead of her.  She reflected the abundance of love from her mother right back onto her mother and even found the strength to add on a grand helping of respect.  It's hard to describe.  It was in her voice, in her eyes, in her touch.  I knew immediately and all day long that this young girl loves life and cherishes life greater than I have ever had the capacity to.  Nothing she reflected during the entire day was about Crystal.  Everything she reflected was about love, hope and life.

I wish I was a master wordsmith so that I could accurately depict the way this young girl, this young woman touched my heart.  In the middle of one of the greatest adversity anyone could ever be facing, she keeps her smile.  I am a so much better person for having met Crystal and my faith was never made stronger than it was by my witnessing the courage held within such a young heart.  I wish each and everyone of you could have been there.  I wish each and everyone of you who carries a cross, a burden could have the pleasure of one moment of her company.  Your strength would be increased.  Your faith would be empowered.  And your hope would be eternal.  God bless you Crystal.  You do remain in all our prayers.  The world loves you baby.

(and Crystal, I'll let you in on a little secret:  I love your momma too).

©2007 Robert Burnham

* ADDRESS TO ORIGINAL PRAYER REQUEST / ARTICLE (Sept. 2007)

http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474977125620

©Robert C. Burnham  - For Crystal, For Ever.

DON'T WORRY ABOUT TOMORROW

FOR IT MAY NEVER COME

AND THE ONLY THING HISTORY TELLS YOU

IS WHERE YOU FIRST BEGUN

IF YESTERDAY WAS RAINY

AND TOMORROW MAY BE COLD

CONSIDER YOUR PRESENT BLESSINGS

AND SEIZE THE DAY; TAKE HOLD

GIVE A SMILE TO THE FIRST STRANGER

YOU PASS ALONG THE WAY

AND I PROMISE TO LIGHTEN YOUR HEART

AND WALK WITH YOU THIS FINE DAY

IF YOU MEET SOMEONE WITH A HEAVY LOAD

THE LOVE I TAUGHT, YOU MAY PORTRAY

THEN I WILL PERSONALLY TALK TO YOU

IN SILENCE, YOU'LL HEAR WHAT I HAVE TO SAY

FOR I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA

THE GOD OF YESTERDAY AND TOMORROW

TODAY, IS THE GIFT I GIVE TO YOU

SO ENJOY IT WITHOUT SORROW

SO PROMISE ME YOU WILL NOT WORRY

FOR I HAVE TAKEN UPON YOUR LOAD

JUST SEEK MY WILL AND FOLLOW

I'LL BE WAITING JUST DOWN THE ROAD.