My brother, My Friend

Today was quite interesting. I got a call from my dad as I was walking into my Electronic Darkroom class. My brother Jake had been in a car accident. Not the kind of call I like to get. Dad said he was fine, but he had hit his head pretty hard and they were taking him to Chesapeake General to do a CT Scan to make sure there were no internal injuries. Jake is my little brother who isn't very little. He's 6' 2" and weighs 220lbs. I'm 23 and he's 16.



I can still remember holding him after he was born and having to prop a pillow under my arm because he was too heavy: I was little but he also came out at a whopping 11lbs 8 oz!!! Even his birth is a testimony of God's faithfulness. It is the Lord's mercy that he and my mom survived a very difficult delivery.



My brother is a gift and a blessing in our lives. He's keeps us laughing and wondering. When I was 8 or 9 I wrote him this poem:

"You're the best brother
the best brother of all
Nothing can change you,
Even if you turned into a ball
Even if you did, you're still my sweet brother,
So Jake, I love you like no other"

To this day he has it framed on the wall in his room. It's a very silly poem, very silly. But it makes him smile, and it definitely makes me smile. As we both get older, we're not just siblings anymore, we're friends. He's growing into a godly young man. I pray for him often and I look forward to seeing how the Lord continues to work in his life.

I left my class immediately and headed to the hospital. Dad had to stay at the accident site while Jake was taken in the ambulance. Mom's out of town, so I needed to get there to be with my brother. I walked into the ER and was able to get back to room 20 right away. There he was, on a stretcher (his feet hanging off because he's so tall) holding an ice pack to his head. It was reassuring to see his face. The first thing I said was I love you and I'm thankful you are alright. We both were crying and then I said out loud for the sake of myself and Jake, "It's because of God's mercy that you are here right now". We were in the ER from noon until 2pm. Now we are home and all is well. Praise be to God!

I thank the Lord for giving me such a dear brother and friend. I thank God today especially that he spared his life. I love this boy with all my heart! I could not have asked for more!