Part 1: Miracles Are Real: miracles Of Sickly Grace Family Dynamics

Photo by HH E on Unsplash

I know what I saw! Everybody acts like they don't believe me, but I know the truth. Seattle, Washington, isn't a place where much happens, believe me, I know that. I just wish people could put down their phones for one second and they'd be amazed at what they might find. I mean really, Instagram and Twitter don't have the answers to everything, do they?

Sometimes

If you're reading this and you're one of those guys always critiquing the Bible, saying things like, “Dude, the Bible is filled with stuff that contradicts science,” well you've found the right story. You know why? I was one of those guys too.

Well that is until my life changed forever on a stormy night at Mount St. Helens, Washington. The specifics don't matter much, right? I don't want to explain 'em and you don't want to hear them. I'll be brief with you to avoid embarrassing myself.

The name is Lucas Acetone, which is why currently my church calls me Luke as a joke. You know, after that famous disciple guy who did a couple great things to be remembered by. I majored in geology, specializing in rocks and minerals, at Washington State University. So calling me an intellectual is a real understatement, guys. How about a core nerd? My mind has always been programmed for scientific analysis. The rest of the world was a shade of black and white to me.

My mom, on the other hand, is the opposite of that. Her name is Crystal Acetone and she has been married to a trucker for more than twenty-five years. Larry Acetone is a common-sense-first and book-smart-second kind of fish.

We butted heads many times growing up, but our relationship is solid now. My mom is not conventional in the way she sees the world. She is very esoteric in nature and has always leaned toward the spiritual side of things. A couple times in my life she leaned toward it so hard that she landed herself in a mental institution called The Rock Saint Catholic.

They still call and check on her to this day and she has formed personal relationships with some of its workers. As always, my father obediently stuck by her side and was the first one to drop her off and the first one to check her back out into the real world.

He always brought me and my sick sister, which dramatized the scene all the more. My mom always offered apologies wrapped up with tears while my dad's eyes appeared as if tears were going to come out, but somehow they never did. Back then I didn't understand her journey, but now it makes a lot more sense.

Anyways, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me pump the brakes just a little.

Yeah, I know you want the story, but what is a story without knowing the people in it? I'll be quick, I promise.

I had a sister named Leigha, but she left us in a way that was hard to understand. She is one of the central figures in this nearly unbelievable tale. Growing up with Leigha was never ordinary. She suffered from an autoimmune disorder unlike anything the local doctors had ever seen. Her childhood was plagued with constant doctor visits, unanswered questions, and long periods of forced isolation.

I'll be the first to admit that what follows may not sound very credible. If I carried this story into Washington State University, they might laugh me straight out of the building.

There you have it—the simple details of my life you need to know.

Now for the brief account of what happened on that tempestuous night of January 8th, 2018.

Me, my mom Crystal, my dad Larry, my sister Leigha, and our white-coated Alaskan Husky Pluto had packed up for a weekend trip to Mount St. Helens. Though, if I'm being truthful, I doubt that massive landmark ever realized—or cared—whether we visited it or not.

I should mention that the trip involved a great deal of careful discussion over whether Leigha should come at all. Up to this point, her life had been heavily sheltered. Years of isolation and limitations had begun to leave their mark, and Leigha had started lashing out in response.

She would sneak out, rebel against the rules, and spend time with a boy even though she knew the consequences could end with another hospital visit. So when she learned we were planning this trip, she refused to take no for an answer. My parents, exhausted from the constant fighting and wanting to give her some measure of freedom, finally gave their permission.

I remember the bitter cold morning we left. Leigha had been throwing up severely and begged me not to tell Mom. I respected her wishes because part of me believed she deserved this trip. Her whole life had been a battle against sickness and restrictions. I figured that no matter what waited for her afterward, she deserved one chance to do something normal—something fun—for once.

Work schedules were tweaked, vacation time utilized, security systems updated, plans announced to friends, and all the other last-minute preparations that have to be done before leaving for a small vacation. Then we were on the road together as we decided to take only one large vehicle for this trip. It was a brown Volkswagen designed just for this kind of thing.

Mom sang loud Christian tunes, me and my sister stayed on our phones, and Dad paid careful attention to the road while giving his hat a small adjustment or giving Mom a respectful nod when she talked.

I did what I always liked to do—look at various rocks and compare their isotopes, chemical makeups, carbon dating, and other concepts most never think twice about when they pick a rock up.

My sister stayed on social media and texting. In fact, I'm convinced she was spending time talking to the boy we discussed earlier because she couldn't seem to quit smiling.

Pluto liked to stick her head out the window and bark occasionally at other passerby dogs.

I remember my sister very vividly. Anybody that has ever lost somebody knows what I'm talking about. It's like you're clinging onto the last time you saw somebody with an absolute certainty, likely because you know you'll never see them again.

Anyways, I'm gonna give a brief description of what I refuse to waste a lot of time with.

The scenery on the way there was a mix of aesthetic Washington nature, gas stations, restaurants, supermarkets, benches, bus stops, any service you can think of, parks, traffic lights, and sidewalks with people coming and going.

Please don't get onto me for not mentioning the fire hydrants, construction workers, and various clinics that we went by.

There were plenty of restroom stops, people wanting to pet Pluto, stopping for gas, and all the other annoying small tasks that vacations bring.

Also, if you must know, our Volkswagen had some coolers, two large tents, winter clothing, warm blankets, and plenty of water.