Carmen

I got to see an amazing man last week.  His name is Carmen, the amazing, Christian musician and entertainer. I had never seen him in concert before, (except when I was two years old, but I don't remember it, of course!) and it was great to see him perform! He had such a vivid way of portraying the stories in his songs, especially the song Lazarus. He didn't fail to make everybody laugh a lot, and I had a wonderful time.

 Part way through the show, though, Carmen stopped the funny, light side of his performance, and spoke about something that everyone had been wondering about -- cancer. Carmen has cancer. And although it should have made us all feel really sad and put a somber mood over the evening it didn't. He didn't let it color the whole performance. Don't get me wrong -- it must have been hard to talk about something so personal and scary in a big room with a bunch of strangers. But Carmen chose to focus on the positive side of what God was letting happen to him. And, he shared with us an idea that had formed after he found out about the cancer. He wants to train 1,000 evangelists.

 Carmen is an amazing performer.  He knows how to deal with big groups of people.  He knows how to tell a story that can be lighthearted, yet completely relevant and true to his audience.  He's helped lead thousands to the foot of the cross, where they have realized their sin and repented to God.  He has the tools that musicians and teachers just starting out don't know where to get.  And he wants to teach them.  So, Carmen has made a goal to teach 1,000 people what he knows before he dies.

Instead of letting death stare him in the face and cause him to cower in despair, Carmen is standing strong -- being held up by the Father -- and deciding to make a difference with however long he has left.  I am glad that he's doing it.  I'm excited for what God has planned with Carmen's life.

It also reminds me to make each day count.  Not everyone gets a warning.  Not everyone is told when their time is up.  Sometimes our lives can be snatched away, without the quietest hint or the smallest sign.  What would you do if tomorrow was the last day you had on earth?  You never know -- it very well could be.