What a busy summer...

we're having in our family. Every week for the past six, I've packed someone, or several someones to go off for vacation, mission trips, church camp, and scout camp. Zack left today for his fourth of five weeks away this summer. Today was especially difficult.

He's a new patrol leader in his troop. I'm not sure he's ready for that kind of leadership role. He's not a particular communicative young man. I think he struggles with remembering, processing and verbalizing his ideas. He comes by it honestly, it's been a continual struggle for me as well. It took me quite a few years to realize what was going on, and then I had to find a strategy to help me cope. I recently spoke to Patti Sikes, a sister in Christ, friend and special ed. teacher for over 30 years. She's given me some direction, and with prayer we're on our to helping Zack.

It was also difficult because a young man in our township was killed while riding his bike, by a driver. The young man was Zack's age and enter the same grade. We didn't know him, our middle school has 2000 students. It happened one block from our old residence, and Wesley is good friends with the son of the man who hit the biker. The son of the driver was in the car and witnessed the whole accident, EMT trying to resuscitate him, the arrival of the young man's extremely emotional father, the pleading of his own father for the young man not to die, and the questioning by the police. Tragic!

There are so many factors that could have changed the outcome. The only purpose in knowing them is that those factors may save someone a similar tragic outcome.

I know my children are in God's hands, and I know that He'll sustain me through tragic times that may visit my family. I wonder if my faith is strong enough to withstand something like this. I can't imagine the emotions each family must be experiencing. I'm praying fervently for both. Tragedy like this often rips families apart.

It's good to be a child of the King, because in Him...there is hope.

"You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You." Isaiah 26: 3