Beauty for Ashes

 

It's been a rough fall in our little Downeast community.  The kids have stayed home from school 4 days since mid-September due to shooting and bomb threats directed at their school system (an additional threat was called in early enough to clear the school for classes).  A beloved teacher passed away in a terrible car accident Thanksgiving weekend, and a 10 year old classmate was recently killed in another tragic wreck. While the practical side of me reasons that we are incredibly blessed to live in a western country that has not become immune to daily tragedies such as these (think of children who are being raised in war ravaged regions), every maternal instinct in my body wants to hold life at bay and shelter Annabel & Thane from the harsh reality of our fallen world.  We've had lots of questions and discussions over the past few months.  I've tried to explain the difference between God ordaining vs. His allowing events to happen.  Quite frankly, if I'm honest, there is a part of me that doesn't understand either.  In these times, we cling to the promise that God is in control and He will make beauty out of ashes.  Such a simple, but powerful thing.