And these are the times I want to be 5 again... with my whole life ahead of me.

I had a conversation with my friend tonight that essentially skirted around discussing his own mortality.

and it makes me sick at my stomach.

I want my friend to get married, and have kids, and grow old, and I know he's being robbed of precious opportunities by a disease he never asked for.

And frankly ... it sucks.

But, I want my friend to be the exception to the rule. All the rules, not just the obvious ones.

I want him to be completely healed tonight so that he can have a fresh start tomorrow. And you know what? That's what I pray for. Or for him to be the first patient to live 50 years with donated organs. Not the 5. And you know what? I pray for that too.

And being around him, reminds me how much I take for granted. And how I get wrapped up in junk that it foolish. Oh, how I need the perspective. God, I think that's enough justification to keep him around forever. And it may seem silly and naive for me to say it like that. But I don't care. It is not some strange disease that is affecting some guy a million miles away. It affects someone I value. A LOT. And I'm ready for it to be stopped.

If you don't know anything about cystic fibrosis, then go read about it -- here and here.

and help me PRAY.