Comfort

Things that have brought me comfort in the past few days:

My daughter's story about the high school senior who rallied multiple high schools within our district to collect money from students at lunch all this week and send it all to the families of Newtown to help with funeral costs all on his own. He had the idea and he ran with it. It's one thing to talk about doing something. This kid actually did it. A young man in CT took so much; this other young man is trying to give back. It doesn't right the scales, for sure, but it offers a tiny glimmer.

The cold opening of SNL last Saturday. I don't watch the show, but I love the way they chose to honor those kids by not going on as usual.

This post by Ann Voskamp, who has a way of putting things into perspective for me as she always has been able to do.

And some things shared in a private email I received addressing some of the things I've heard people say in the past few days: How could a loving God allow this? "Because He doesn't create angelic puppets. He gives us a choice, free will-- the choice between good and evil. Sometimes people choose evil." And also who knows better what it feels like to part with a child than God Himself, who "Gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." Christmas is a happy time for us on earth, but sometimes I let myself think about how on that first Christmas Heaven felt empty without Jesus in it. God had to let His beloved Son go so His plan could be carried out-- a plan of love and mercy and ultimate sacrifice.

All of this only scratches the surface of feeling comforted, but it has helped a little, for a moment. To remember God's plan, to see the goodness that's still out there. Maybe it'll help someone else-- to see the good, to receive some small dose of hope in a season that's supposed to be about nothing else.