In the caring hands of God

The best writing is honest writing. So I’ll be honest. Many events have fallen on us at once. Sound familiar?

In the last two days our nephew’s house in North Carolina caught fire leaving them homeless. The good news is it did not happen at night. (The bedrooms are upstairs where the fire began.) He returned home earlier than planned ­— his family was not there — to find the smoke alarms going crazy. In time to call the fire department. That’s what saved the entire place from burning to the ground. Hopefully they will rebuild.

Then our daughter-in-law was hospitalized locally with pneumonia. Three small children. I cannot help as I ordinarily would. We fly out tonight for Alaska ­— to stay with another set of grands while their parents are away.

The couple we share a home with ended up in the ER as well. She has been severely weakened from chemotherapy treatment.

My husband has been experiencing debilitating weakness in his legs — right as we need to leave. Potential good news on that is our Alaska daughter has an orthopedic surgeon friend who Terry will try to see while we are on the Kenai Peninsula.

There are times when it seems every ball is aimed right for us. It is all one can do to not feel overwhelmed — whether for ourselves or on behalf of others close to us. There is a refuge. For those willing to consider it the Bible says, “As the mountains surround Jerusalem, So the Lord surrounds His people From this time forth and forever.”

We live outside town in what I call the “mountain hug.” So it is not a stretch for me to picture being enclosed in the arms of God. Someone much more caring — and capable — than myself.

I don’t know how all these immediate situations are going to turn out. But the One who does know has me encased in the “strength of His power.” The tender Rock.