And here we are ... again

Yesterday, in the sleepy little town where I was raised the unthinkable happened.  Two beautiful, perfect, innocent little boys ages 2 years and 6 months were picked up from daycare by their Grandmother.  She was to bring them home and celebrate the oldest boy's second birthday with family.  She never arrived. Armed with a gun and suicidal, she apparently shot the 2 boys and then herself.  Her vehicle was located at around 9:30 pm and all three were declared dead.  DEAD.  Facebook walls had been abuzz all night ... pictures of the boys and their grandmother.  I posted both to my wall with the hope that by some small miracle, the children would be found, alive and unharmed.  I waited for the 11 pm news and was horrified when the Channel 3 reporter said the boys and their grandmother were dead. 

I think most people probably reacted much the way I did "OH MY GOD" ... I looked at Paul and said it again.  He looked back at me with a blank expression knowing he had no explanation to offer.  My eyes were filled with tears, there was a tightness in my chest. I paced around my dining room.  

I think many of my local Facebook friends also watched the news because then the updates started on the walls again ....

"Why?" "Why did she have to take them too?"

"No, no, no - all 3 are gone?"

"Prayers for the family, hug your kids a little tighter tonight"

"I'm having a hard time believing in God tonight"

It is during times like these that I turn to a quote from a book I read some time ago. It is just from a work of fiction - not a text book, religious work, or spiritual self help book.  Just a short little novel.  The narrator says "It is clear, too, that she believes in God and that her God does not intercede in tragedies. But he weeps for them"

I find that I return to those few simple lines when things shake me to the core, when I start to question my faith, when I want to blame God.  In the Fall, a shocking loss of a close friend, in December, the tragic shootings in Newtown, and now the violent death of these two, young boys .... 

Seems I've had to remind myself a lot lately that God, well my God anyway, does not intercede in tragedies, but weeps for them, weeps with me.

These families have a long, hard road ahead of them.  I pray that the world around them, both far and near, shows mercy, kindness and love and refrains from passing judgement and criticism.  That they will find some way to mourn, grieve, heal.  I pray. 

In Jesus' name, I PRAY.