Tragedies

I don't know about y'all, but it seems like around here, bad things have just happened in spades recently. 


When Brad and I moved a little over a year ago, we didn't really leave our former community behind.  Instead, we became "dual citizens," if you will, as I still work in our old town, our family still attends church there, and the kids and I live there for the summer while I pack tomatoes.  So anything that happens there hits close to home, and our former little town has had some real doozies lately -- 4 deaths in the past week and a half.


While they all have been very sad, and we have known or known of all of the people who died, the one who has affected me the most was a little boy. He was at a birthday party, and he drowned, only to be resuscitated and then ultimately die at the hospital a couple of days later after never gaining back any brain activity.


We didn't know this little boy or his family -- he was one we knew of -- but he has been all I could think about for days.  I don't know if it was the fact that he attended the same school that Ty did before we moved.  I don't know if it is because we knew pretty much everyone else who was at the birthday party -- all those adults who are now wandering around, asking themselves what they could have done differently and all those children whose little lives will always be different because a friend died amongst them.  I don't know if it was because he was the same age as Sanders.  I don't know if it was because I let my kids go off with a sitter all summer to swim and always trusted that they would be fine.  Or maybe it is simply because a sweet, little life was lost too soon.


Whatever the case, my heart has been broken for his family and all involved, and I have held on to my children tighter since the accident.  And while I don't believe that God makes bad things happen to people -- I believe that that is part and parcel of living in this broken and fallen world -- I find myself with each new, bad thing asking him why?  Why so many bad things all at once?  Why children?  And, selfishly, I wonder how to protect my children, my family, myself from all of this hurt and tragedy.


And I am always amazed at how the Lord meets me where I am and shows me that He is always, always there, whether it has been with my verse of the day:


When I said, "My foot is slipping," your
unfailing love, LORD, supported me.  When
anxiety was great within me, your
consolation brought me joy.  Psalm 94: 18-19


I keep my eyes always on the Lord.  With 
Him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.  Psalm 16:8


Great peace have those who love your law, 
and nothing can make them stumble.  Psalm 119:165


Or with my devotional, Jesus Calling:


From August 23: Entrust your loved ones to Me; release them into My protective care.  They are much safer with Me than in your clinging hands.  If you let a loved one become an idol in your heart, you endanger that one -- as well as yourself.


From August 31: I am developing your ability to trust Me, to lean on Me, rather than on your understanding...My preference is for you to depend on Me continually, trusting Me to guide you and strengthen you as needed.  This is how you grow strong in your weakness.


Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and lean not on your own understanding.  Proverbs 3:5


The truth is, none of us knows how long we have on this earth, aside from the Lord, and all we can do while we are here is trust in the Lord and live.


I know I put a video on here last night, but I thought this one was fitting.  Margaret first introduced me to this song, but my mom sent me the video earlier today...







**Please pray for the family of the little boy and everyone else who was at the party that day.  Please also pray for the rest of the people in our little community who have been affected by all of the recent deaths.  Finally, please pray for a young boy at the kids' school who has learned that his cancer has spread throughout his body.