A Lesson In Fashion
Sharon's life story

My story is one of fashion. Over the years, I've kept a few choice pieces of clothing that remind me of life's lessons. A pair of runners reminds me of my first 10km race, my highschool grad dress of a time when I was just starting out in life.

But today, I want to tell you about acid-wash denim. My co-worker bought the most amazing mid-thigh acid-wash denim jacket and I just had to have it as well. For months, the two of us wandered around looking like a freak show in the exact same jackets.

That spring, after maintaining a long-distance relationship with my boyfriend, we were finally re-united. I drove 14 hours to meet him at his parent's house and before you could even say "hi" he pulled out a gorgeous diamond, bent down on one knee and I was swept into the most surreal moment of my life.

"Yes, yes, yes!" We drove to my parents' home and told everyone the exciting news of our engagement.

I was so swept away that I didn't notice my 20 year old brother, Brian, was grabbing his leg and moaning in pain. He had been sick all of his life and I didn't really notice anymore.

My mom encouraged me to get all the details for the wedding settled that first week. I bought the dress, booked the church, booked the photographer, got bridesmaids and flower girls - did it all.

Six days later, the whirlwind of wedding activity behind us, my parents came home from the hospital with the worst news of my life.

Brian was dying of lung cancer. He had a kidney transplant two years prior and with the immune-supressing drugs, he was unable to fight off cancer which had invaded his lungs and caused blood clots in his legs.

Now I knew why my mom wanted to get wedding details out of the way. She could see the dark cloud on the horizon.

During the next six weeks, I didn't spend any time at all on wedding details. I constantly questioned God about how this could happen. My brother and I talked a lot about spiritual things and his faith in Jesus was more real than I had ever seen.

At one time, I wanted to cheer him up. I wanted to give him the best thing I owned to take his mind off of the lung cancer, the oxygen tanks and the pain.

The acid-wash denim jacket. Nothing could be better than that piece of pure beauty.

I offered him the jacket one morning and in his blunt style he replied, "Why even give it to me? As soon as I die it will be yours again."

He was right. I was ashamed that I even thought a "thing" could put a band-aid on the reality of dying. Things don't help at that point. Beliefs are what count. Faith is what is desperately needed -- not acid-wash denim. My brother and I spent a lot of time reading the Bible and praying together after that. This was new for the two of us and yet, it was the richest times in our lives. He died 11 days before my wedding, just 8 weeks after he was diagnosed with cancer.

Today, the acid-wash denim jacket hangs on the wall of my office as a reminder that "things" are not what is desperately needed -- people need faith.

Who is Jesus?