the unthinkable

In reading the news this morning I heard the unthinkable news about Steven Curtis Chapman's family and the loss of their youngest daughter in an accident involving one of their older children. I just about stopped breathing. So sad.

I kinda thought for a moment he should be immune. But none of us are immune. I know that.

I've seen the loss of a child first hand in our own home. I've seen it in friends that lost their daughter on the ski slopes in an accident.. one minute a lovely vacation and the next, CPR and paramedics to no avail. ugh. I've seen more families lose their kids due to cancer than I can count. Some personally and some through blogs etc. It never gets easy. I cry every time I hear about another one. My husband calls them my 'comedy websites' and thinks I'm nuts for putting myself through 'it' again. But I do.

But back to the Chapmans. We wonder about the where's and the why's of this. Where was God? Where was God's protection? Why, why, why??!! And yet, even as I read about this, I could see God at work! We see our purposes in life. Raising healthy kids. Doing what we want to do. And God going along for the ride.

But God sees something entirely different! He sees HIS purposes! He sees what He wants to do and what He wants to accomplish! And He goes about it in different ways than we would like sometimes! We get all warm and fuzzy when we see His hand at work in a far away, over and done with tragedy someplace else, but its harder when He's making His mark and bringing about His purposes in OUR lives. That one is harder. But I've seen it and lived it. Is it easy? Nope! Does it hurt? Very often, yes! But He was at work and He is at work in this. But WE need to pray! For them right now and for His will and purposes to be accomplished!