My morning started with the news that the 49-year-old daughter of friends was struck by a vehicle and killed while walking along the rural road near home.  According to her mom, she evidently stumbled and stepped into the roadway.  This happened as the vehicle’s driver had the sun shining in her eyes.

I’ve known Norm for as long as I can remember and Marge was Sylvia’s neighbor during junior high and high school.  We were married a couple of months apart in the same church by the same pastor.

Today our hearts are breaking for these long-time friends.

Another message from a cousin informed me that her sister had passed backed in April.  She had had pneumonia.  A neighbor discovered the cousin, but kept news from the family.

And there I sat waiting to hear results from the bone scan.  Does bad news come in threes?  What would be next.

Last night, a young man was driving his car when he was struck by a train in Lake Odessa.  The young man was killed.

Now I’m hoping that the phone doesn’t ring and that no new e-mails appear in my inbox.

I’ll content myself with this (too early in the process to share with the parents):

Isaiah 61

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.