I watch a lot of TV. I also love certain characters on my TV shows. In a lot of ways I try to find a little of myself  in each one of them. Lets start with LOST. On that show there is a character by the name of Jack Shepherd. He is the level headed fearless leader of a group of survivors of a plane crash on a deserted island. He is the one person everyone looks toward in times of struggle and desperation. Jack is the guy you want to have on your side. He is the guy you know you can trust to give you the right advice when you need it most. Jack Shepherd is all man, but sensitive to everyone’s needs.

Another show I watch religiously is 24. One this show there is a character named Jack Bauer. Now Jack Bauer is a different breed of man, he is the guy who keeps his feelings bottled up inside to protect the ones around him. He always puts himself in harms way to protect the ones he loves (although he would never admit he loves anyone, to protect them of course). Jack Bauer can be a little scary, but he has to be to get the job done. He has saved the world countless times over and over again, and has asked for nothing in return. Jack Bauer is completely selfless, undeniably brave, and without question completely fearless.

This brings me to the Jack you might not know. We know him as Uncle Jack. You will not find him on any TV show or lost on an island, or saving the world from nuclear bombs. You will however find that when you get to know him, you instantly begin to love him. He is my wife’s Uncle, the older brother of her Dad. The one thing I love the most about Uncle Jack is how hard of a time he gives his younger brother. You see I love to give Jackie’s Dad a hard time, its what I do best. It breaks the awkward father-in-law/son-in-law dynamic that plagues those relationships. It is our way of bonding and building a friendship. Uncle Jack however gives his brother a harder time then I could ever dream of. I love to watch him interact with his brother. Uncle Jack is my mentor when it comes to giving my father-in-law a hard time. I am a total amateur compared to him. I want to be just like Uncle Jack, and give his brother a hard time on that level.

Uncle Jack is fighting a battle that is very real.  It is a battle with cancer that is of the worst kind. It is a reality and hard emotional pill for all of us close to him to swallow. Jackie, Desmond and I went for a visit to see him over in Alabama this weekend. Seeing him and talking to him as we watched Desmond playing on the floor in his living room you could see why Jack was named Jack. He has everything those other Jack’s have but he also has so much more. He has the look of calm, the spirit of peacefulness and the love and comfort in his eyes that he is going to be OK, and we all should know that.  The warmth in his hug and handshake as we left to come home felt good deep down inside my heart.

So you may not know Jack, but Uncle Jack needs your prayers, he needs your love. So I ask you just close your eyes right now, think of him, send him your strength and prayer, give him just a moment of your time, and God will do the rest. If you don’t know Jack, just take a moment to know him now.