Big Thoughts, Little Time

Lots of thoughts this morning, but little time to type.

My heart has been heavy the last few days because of bad news.
*A guy who went to ACU named Mike Martin lost his wife Lisa and three boys (ages 4, 2 and 2 months) and mother-in-law in a horrible traffic accident in Sherman,Texas on Monday.
*A good friend called and told me about some hard times another friend has fallen on.
*Another friend's husband is leaving her.
*A church we once went to seems to be struggling again.
*The beheading of the hostages in Iraq is sickening.
All this really bad, painful, heart wrenching news. Of course the first piece of bad news was bad enough! My heart aches for this guy I barely know. I can't imagine his grief... it hurts to try to even fathom it! Please Lord hold Mike Martin and his father-in-law James Wood in your loving arms right now. Please help them cope as their lives have been forever shattered.

Depression runs in my family. Times like this make me wonder if my genetic trends make news like this harder to take. I don't know. Does everyone get to the point that they want God to come now and end all this? Or is that just me? At times like this I want my Father to come and make it all better.

What do we as children of God do when the truly bad news of our world bombards us? How are we supposed to respond? This is hard for me. I know it is useless to cry and mope for days for it does no one any good. But, it also seems callous and uncaring to just brush the pain and anguish of others aside. How can we flippantly go on as if nothing happened, even if it didn't happen to us? This may seem more dark and dramatic than I intended, but I wrestle with how God wants me to react to bad news.

On a related note, I asked God to show up strong for me this week. I just really want to see Him big in my life so I know what to do in several situations. Maybe He has "shown up" by reminding me how much I have to loose through the tragedy of others and therefore how much I have to thank Him for. An attitude of gratitude. A thankful heart. Please Lord grow these things in me.

Or maybe He showed up big by way of a phone call from one of my best friends who lives in Keller. I miss her. I miss her terribly at times. Maybe God knew I needed her call from out of the blue and the two hour talk that followed! If you are reading this, I miss you Kristi!

Or maybe God showed up in the form of free Ranger tickets for tonight and an being able to find a sub easily for the paper Saturday. It will be so refreshing to spend the night away from here, just us our little family. It seems we need a get away, even if it's just for one night. I know there are more logical, rational, responsible things to do with our time and money, but the thought of being at a game and spending the night in a hotel just the 4 of us, is so appealing! AND THEY ARE GREAT SEATS! This will be Rhett's first major league game. Why has it taken us three years to take him? Go Rangers! Stay away hurricane Ivan rains!

Or maybe God doesn't have to "show up" because He has been here all the time....

As I said, many thoughts, few moments!