Ornament

I finished my second carving since Tuesday this evening. There's a young couple who live across the street from us. They have a daughter who will be three in February, and a daughter born just a few months ago. I would like to have time to be able to carve either an "Our First Christmas Together" ornament, or something else to give to them to commemorate this Christmas. My tiny "great" niece is also a target for something special from my hands. I am praying that the Lord will provide me with a meaningful idea that will stir up more than thoughts of just a chunk of wood. Something that when they see it will make them think of Him.

My niece has had a tough week or so. On the eighteenth of this month, just days before Thanksgiving, I called my nephew to see if they would be coming to our house for the family gathering. He informed me that they would not be coming. (They live 3 1/2 hours away.) Tragically, his wife's (my niece) best friend and her husband were murdered about a day before my call. They were shot to death by a man who had years before, murdered his own mother and now had been released from prison.

I had watched this young woman in my niece's wedding party about three years ago. She was young, vibrant and she and her husband people thought, had their whole lives ahead of them. They were among a young circle of friends who were close, and the only couple who did not yet have children. I found myself very moved by this tragedy, but I was determined that it should not cast a pall over our day of thanks. Then I determined that this was something that I could not control.

As it happened, my family was introspective about what had happened, but we had a wonderful day of thanks, for many reasons. When things were winding down, the younger of my older sisters, her husband and their two sons stayed and talked with us for some time. I think I enjoy that the most. We spoke of many things, including the awfulness of what had happened to this young couple. We spoke God and His goodness. Bad things happen to people, that is sure, but we live in a fallen world, because of sin. What are we to expect?

If we trust in Him, cling to Him and rely on Him, what happens in this life is only temporary, and we can depend upon Him and glorify Him and enjoy Him forever, no matter what happens here. Horrible things tend to pale against the light of His goodness. After all, a perfectly good, holy and kind God became a man and gave up His life for us, so that we could choose to live with Him forever. What can we do but glorify His name, and worship Him for that?

So was there tragedy? Yes. Did it cause a bit of a damper on things? Maybe. Does God still deserve the credit for what He did for us? Most assuredly. It cannot be any other way. People will blame Him when things like this happen. People are always looking to place blame where it doesn't belong. "How could a good God allow something like this to happen?" One way to look at it is that He has permitted men to make a choice, and because the heart of man is corrupt, he often makes corrupt choices. It isn't God who makes such choices, and I have often marvelled that He hasn't squashed this planet like a bug, long ago. I am only glad that hasn't and that He is patient, for the sake of all the souls who will look to Him, and choose His grace and mercy, instead of their own pride.

Like an ornament, carved through time, the mysteries are being chipped away and His majestic and beautiful plan is being revealed before us, and we are witness to it through His permissive will. This is a wonderful gift. Like the Bible, our lives are full of ups and downs, of tragic occurrences, and monumental challenges. Only God can carry us through these things. How thankful should we be for that?