a joyful calling

Have you ever met somebody and within a minute of your first interaction you know that person was living their calling? Or their personal legend?

That's Dr. LyBarger - I know without a doubt he is doing exactly what he is supposed to be doing while he journeys through this life.

I remember a conversation with my friend Ginger two years ago. She stopped suddenly and said to me, "Angie, I love that you are living into your call." I had heard, "Angie, you've been called to be a pastor," before, but that was the first time I knew for sure that I was a pastor. I now live my calling each and every day, even when it sucks.

After Dr. Ash had delivered the terrible news that Wednesday, she came back after a couple of hours with an update. Dr. LyBarger had reviewed the images further and was not 100% sure the cyst was cancer, and that he would be in to see me later that day. By then it was starting to get dark and I was doubtful. I was pretty sure they would end up sending me home and have me schedule an appointment with him the next week.

To my surprise around 5:30 pm he casually showed up in my room and went over his findings.

There was a lot said, something about being a pretty special person, and shitty images.

He then asked me, "did you move during the MRI?" Busted. I couldn't lie and keep it quite. "Yes," I told him, "I couldn't help it. My abs were spasming, don't blame the technicians!" Fortunately, he let it go.

The cyst was about the size of a large grapefruit, and it became clear to me that this thing was not a cyst - it was a full-on tumor. He was the first one to say "tumor" and that it needed to come out. The only way he would be able to see if it was cancer was by taking it out.

Agh, surgery! NO! 40 years old and I have never so much as broken a bone!

I asked him when he thought he could do it. He said "I could do it Friday," to which I assumed the following Friday because the 23rd was the day after Thanksgiving.  I asked him if the office was open on Friday to schedule it.

He corrected me and said, "no this Friday." WHAT? He then said, he'd do it the next day if it wasn't Thanksgiving and he had to give the day off to the medical team!

It's then when I knew - this guy is living his call.