The Littlest Fireman

82Rigger · #1 12-05-2004, 09:53 PM

I don't know if this is a true story...but if it ain't, it oughta be!

Stop telling God how big your storm is. Instead tell your storm
how big your God is.

In Phoenix,Arizona, a 26-year-old mother stared down at her 6 year
old son who was dying of terminal leukemia. Although her heart was filled
with sadness, she also had a strong feeling of determination. Like any
parent she wanted her son to grow up and fulfill all his dreams. Now that
was no longer possible. The leukemia would see to that. But she still
wanted son's dreams to come true.

She took her son's hand and asked, "Billy, did you ever think
about what you wanted to be once you grew up? Did you ever dream and wish what
you would do with your life?
"Mommy, I always wanted to be a fireman when I grew up."
Mom smiled back and said, "Let's see if we can make your wish come
true."
Later that day she went to her local fire department in Phoenix,Arizona.
She explained her son's final wish and asked if it might be possible
to give her six-year-old son a ride around the block on a fire engine.
The firemen said, "Look, we can do better than that. If you'll have your son
ready at seven o'clock Wednesday morning, we'll make him an honorary fireman
for the whole day. He can come down to the fire station, eat with
us, go out on all the fire calls, the whole nine yards! And if you'll give
us his sizes, we'll get a real fire uniform for him, with a real fire
hat, not a toy one -with the emblem of the Phoenix Fire Department on it, a
yellow slicker like we wear and rubber boots. They're all manufactured
right here in Phoenix, so we can get them fast.."
Three days later Fireman Bob picked up Billy, dressed him in his
fire uniform and escorted him from his hospital bed to the waiting hook
and ladder truck. Billy got to sit on the back of the truck and help
steer it back to the fire station. He was in heaven. There were three fire
calls in Phoenix that day and Billy got to go out on all three calls. He
rode in the different fire engines, the paramedic's van, and even the fire chief's car.
He was also videotaped for the local news program. Having his
dream come true, with all the love and attention that was lavished upon him,
so deeply touched Billy that he lived three months longer than any doctor
thought possible. One night all of his vital signs began to drop dramatically and
the head nurse, who believed in the hospice concept that no one should die
alone began to call the family members to the hospital. Then she
remembered the day Billy had spent as a fireman, so she called the Fire Chief and
asked if it would be possible to send a fireman in uniform to the hospital
to be with Billy as he made his transition.
The chief replied, "We can do better than that. We'll be there in
five minutes. Will you please do me a favor? When you hear the sirens
screaming and see the lights flashing, will you announce over the PA system
that there is not a fire? It's just the fire department coming to see one of
its finest members one more time. And will you open the window to his room?"
About five minutes later a hook and ladder truck arrived at the
hospital and extended its ladder up to Billy's third floor open window. 16
firefighters climbed up the ladder into Billy's room. With his mother's
permission, they hugged him and held him and told him how much they loved him.
With his dying breath, Billy looked up at the fire chief and said,
Chief, am I really a fireman now?" "Billy, you are, and the Head Chief,
God, is holding your hand," the chief said. With those words, Billy smiled
and said "I know, He's been holding my hand all day, and the angels have
been singing.." He closed his eyes one last time.

Uplift one another, Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead tell your storm how big your GOD is.