Norman Rockwell - found then lost

It's been a busy, busy weekend here at the Douglas household. First, we celebrated Jackson's birthday by going to a very special fondue restaurant here in town where we enjoyed a 2-hour meal without children. It was wonderful! It'd been snowing all day and continued to do so throughout the evening so that when we came outside it felt like we were stepping into a Norman Rockwell picture. It was a fine, wet snow that clung to everything and made the world look like it'd been "dipped" in snow.

Of course by the time we woke up the next morning there was about six inches of "dip" on the ground. Thankfully our church didn't have services yesterday so we were able to stay at home, which was good because I had lots to do to get ready for Christmas.

About 1:00 (Mountain), however, we heard from a neighbor that there had been a shooting at New Life Church. We live about 15-20 minutes South of that church and we know people who attend there. As the news sank in, we realized that we knew police officers who were working the scene as well as people who were likely in attendance that day. This hit very, very close to home.

As I write this post, they're still investigating a possible link between the New Life shooting and a shooting that happened hours earlier at a YWAM conference center in Arvada. New Life Church apparently has a YWAM branch on their campus, and so there is serious speculation that the two are connected, but as of yet that hasn't been proven.

The ironic thing here in my opinion is that Pastor Jack Hayford had just finished preaching a sermon at that church on giving your fears to God. It's as though God was preparing His children for the unthinkable that would happen mere minutes after the service was over. That served as a source of encouragement to me and reminded me that God is still on the throne. He is still omniscient and will never leave nor forsake His children.

All the same, please join me in prayer for all who were touched in some way by this act of violence. The victims and their families, those who witnessed the shootings and are still in shock. Those who were visiting church for the first time yesterday and are wondering if they'll ever go to church again. And for the first responders who always run in while others are running out.