Enough

It's been a sobering night and morning. I got word last night that a colleague from a former church died suddenly, in his 50s. He has a wife and two high school/college-aged children. Then this morning I learned of the death of a former neighbor. Something went wrong on a snowy road out west. Details are sketchy. Another colleague recently lost 3 members of her family in two days.

I know that death happens. To all of us. As a pastor I have walked though enough too-early, too-sudden deaths with families. I know that the most powerful message I can give someone at a time like that is, "you are not alone", and represent the God who grieves with them. But sometimes I want to say "enough already". There are days when I just feel weary of bearing up under loss. Today is one of them.

In other news, my sister and her family have made it safely to Kenya, and are settling in. The jet lag has been fierce. But the violence seems to be calming down. I will continue to pray for peace. In Kenya, on snowy roads out west, in congregations and in families where loss is swift and sharp, and here at home. Dona nobis pacem....