Tempting Fate

A friend of mine has had a really rough year. The doctors amputated her right leg a few years ago. She has been doing a pretty good job working her way back in the saddle. The past year, though, she has had disappointment after disappointment. Each time she has said God has a plan.

The past week I have been following the play-offs closely because I had a pair of front-row conference tickets on the line. Unlikely as it was, I had picked the final four, two, and Memphis to win. There was no assurance of winning it all. None the less, all the playoffs I held out hope those tickets were meant for me.

We live day to day with little control over our lives. Things happen we do not necessarily understand. We hold out hope they will end up our way. When they do we rejoice. When they don't we are disappointed.

Fate is a concept from the mythology of the Romans which attributed certain deities control over the lives of humans. Destiny is a similar concept that one's life-path is predetermined and unavoidable. Providence is the belief in the unseen hand of the Almighty directing the lives of people. Somehow, these answers don't cut it.

Sometimes I wonder if God really does have everything under control, or if this world just goes on its weird way and he sustains us. This viewpoint puts our emotional roller coaster in perspective. In my highest highs, God is glad with me; in the lowest lows, he hurts too. When I rest in him and face everything with the assurance he will sustain me the peaks and valleys aren't so dramatic.

Joel Siegel: A man who enjoyed life

This morning, I watched as the Good Morning America anchors and reporters reminisced on the life and passing of their friend, Joel Siegel. I remember him as the other film critic with a fuzzy moustache. His friends recalled Siegel's pleasant demeanor and contagious cheerfulness.

You may recall my post A Reckless Life about Steve Irwin, the Crocodile Hunter. Like Irwin, Siegel informed and entertained thousands on TV. Both had a platform that promoted their passion. Both had a contagious enthusiasm and joy about living. Finally, both were committed fathers.

I was impressed as I watched the segments recalling Siegel's work and life. They recounted how the enthusiastic movie critic faced the greatest moment of his life when he learned of his wife's pregnancy, then his tragic diagnosis of advanced colon cancer weeks following. Instead of brooding, Siegel poured himself into making the most of every moment with his son. He fought cancer with great gusto, driven by his desire to enjoy his son. Along the way, he built poignant moments with his son -- enjoying, laughing, and bonding with him -- to create lasting memories. And he wrote a book, so his son would have a legacy to remember his father.

Life is about far more than getting by day after day. Guys like Joel Siegel serve as reminders of the passion that drives some to greatness. He was faced with tragedy and shared a strength of character with those around. He saw hope in darkness and embraced the things he loved, following them whole-heartedly. He was not just a man who lived, but one who enjoyed life.