"Unexpected..............................."

One huge dark cloud was positioned over my drive to school this morning, the sunlight clearly defining its perimeters, the sky elsewhere serving notice that any serious threat of rain was not really in the picture. The ominous mass above me, however, was appropriate for my mood, my thoughts on the loss of a friend Wednesday afternoon, an acquaintance from church, actually, but a nice guy, sixty-two years of age and suddenly no more. It was a freak accident, he, high in the air working in a cherry-picker, trying to remove a limb from a tall tree. Things happen… The day would, indeed, evolve into the nineties, the playground at school oppressive, kids somewhat lethargic in their amusement, adults seeking a bench in the shade and hoping for a cool breeze; but my mind kept returning to the reality of life. A co-worker’s phone, while we were involved with those few moments of recess, brought her news of a neighbor’s house having burned to the ground. All were just outside, about to leave, when the husband noticed smoke. Things change; and it doesn’t always take a lot of time for one’s world to disappear… What we’re offered is an anchor-line, a source of strength, an oasis of His presence to meet us in all needs. In that I trust. In that I find peace……….