Author: Mark Myers

I am a husband of one, father of four daughters, a dreamer, a builder, a believer, and most enjoyably a writer. In 2015, I became a reluctant Childhood Cancer Advocate as we lost our youngest daughter Kylie to the disease. Kylie taught me to steal joy from even the worst of circumstances and I will always be on the lookout for happiness among the thorns of life. Join me for a generous helping of laughter and tears.

Back off, ladies… He’s taken

.Reading time 5 minutes.

Whenever my second grade teacher, Mrs. Kleinstuber wrote on the chalkboard, the loose flesh of her arms flopped around so violently that the children gasped in fear. I started a little gambling circuit and took action on whether she was going to be the first person to be knocked cold by her own arm flab. It never happened, but it would have been monumental.

Also monumental is the day you see your own arm flab flopping when it shouldn’t. Since the past few years haven’t been conducive to maintaining a gym regimen, all of the weights I had lifted revolted and tacked themselves to the back of my arms as very soft tissue. So I started lifting again. The weights are lighter now, but after a couple of months my arms stopped their disgusting jiggle dance. I’ve lost about ten pounds and am getting ready for Speedo weather (although my daughters maintain there is no proper climate for that). Read More

An Introduction to Kylie

.Reading time 7 minutes.

Today is Kylie’s birthday. At Perimeter Christian School, they are celebrating by committing to the kindness, joy, and selflessness that embodied Kylie (and of course, wearing yellow).  For new children who didn’t know her, one of Kylie’s favorite teachers, Jean McConaughy, wrote this beautiful Introduction to Kylie so that they would understand the purpose behind the day:

 

Let me introduce you to a very special young lady, Kylie, known around the world as “Smiley Kylie.” All of her young life, Kylie loved to smile, but more than that, she loved to bring smiles to the faces of others! Kylie loved Jesus with all of her heart and oh, how she loved to sing praise songs to Jesus. She even created some of her own! When she was in my classroom, we started each day with songs. One she often asked for was a simple chorus written by Honeytree, one of the first contemporary Christian artists. “I’m gonna believe that God is up to something good. I’m gonna believe that God is up to something good. When I don’t understand the things that happen in my life, I’m gonna believe that God is up to something good.”  Read More