Our five-year old’s main concern this week is her school’s Christmas musical. She’s a shepherd. And, she’s an anxious one. She’s especially excited because she’ll be standing on bleachers, on the second row, as she reminds me every day so we’ll know where to look for her.
Our four-year old is focused on “jingle bell day” and Christmas festivities at her preschool. There’s nothing she enjoys more than making noise and eating cookies, so she’s thrilled to have a reason to ring a bell loudly and enjoy a party this week.
Our fourteen-month old has recently discovered cause and effect. She’s particularly fascinated with lights. So, every time we pass a switch plate she starts kicking and grunting to flip the switches and watch what happens. It doesn’t take much to entertain her.
All of this is normal. All of this is as it should be. All of this is good and right.
But, this week, I can’t get my mind off all that is not good and all that is not right in this world. The Spouse can forbid me to watch or read any more news about the events of this past Friday, but even the most sheltered of us know enough already to share in the collective, heart-wrenching grief of a small town in Connecticut.
Of course, none of us want our children to know such atrocities are possible. But it’s not just their security that has been shaken or their innocence that has been violated. It’s our very own. And, we are painfully reminded again that evil is real.
While I’m tempted to let fear consume my mind and darkness shroud the joys of this season, I am trying to keep this truth on replay in my heart:
He is light. He is love.
He lives. And, ultimately, He wins.
I believe this to be true.
But, until that day when all is made right, kyrie eleison.
Lord, have mercy.
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