Perspective

I had one of those "perspective" days.  Yes, my dog was loud and annoying, but thankfully, he's healthy.  When we were at the vet today, there was an old White German Shepherd there who had this awful looking tumor on the outside of it's body.  The owners looked tired, and ready to give up.  I felt like busting into tears right there in the lobby.  No matter how much I wish the puggle had an "off switch" I would never hit it. Never.  I thought about that couple all day. That poor dog. You could tell it was in pain. I wonder what happened.

And last night... at work. Oh, what a sad night! Our lead story was this awful house fire where six children, all under the age of 10 died, and a mother, younger than I am died too.  They had no heat.  They were using space heaters.  They didn't have a working smoke detector.  The mother died holding one of the children.  It is so sad.  Heartbreaking.  Usually I am good about keeping work "work" and not getting emotionally attached to stories, but that story was just too much.  And it's not just a story.  Those were real lives that were lost.  There is real pain in that community.

Events like that always bring up the question -- why does God let things like that happen?  No one has answers.  Not spirtual leaders.  Not pastors.  Not the wise. 

The book I'm reading right now, "Velvet Elvis" draws an interesting conclusion about faith in general -- that I think applies in situations like this. It is this: that it IS THE MYSTERY that is the truth.  If we understand everything then the mystery is solved and our questions are answered.  Then there is nothing to believe in.  There is no faith required.  We need the mystery.