Why?

We often ask "Why?" when something terrible happens. But rarely when we are spared disaster. So tonight let me remember to acknowledge that that sort of "why", the "why are we OK?" is just as mysterious.

This afternoon I was home briefly between RVA clinic and some late rounds at the hospital, and Scott had decided to work on cutting some bricks for use in the pizza oven construction. Our tools are limited, so he's been soaking bricks in water and then slicing them in half with a small hand-held circular saw type of electric power-device. It's worked quite well. Until today, when the spinning wheel disintegrated into several large projectile chunks which flew off at high speed. Right into Scott's left eye area. I heard an ominous thump and a few seconds later Scott staggered in with broken glasses. What could have been a loss-of-his-eye disaster was a temporary blow with no long-term consequences as far as we can tell. He was wearing safety goggles which were bent inward, and the force still broke the glasses UNDER the safety goggles, his skin was reddened and swollen, but his eye was protected.

It was sobering to realize how close he came to a life-altering loss. We're big believers in safety goggles at the moment.

After Luke's two motorcycle accidents, not to mention Jack and Caleb making it through an entire season of rugby, we are awed at how actively the angels have been protecting our family.

During the end of our time in Bundi, from ebola on, we did often wonder why we were still alive and even rather well when others around us suffered such loss, and death. Psalm 91:7 is sort of the story of our lives:

A thousand may fall at your side,

ten thousand at your right hand,

but it will not come near you.

So tonight we hesitatingly ponder, "why", though we don't really need to know if it is your prayers, unfinished tasks for the Kingdom, God's awareness of our vulnerability, sheer mercy, or other mysteries of providence. We are just grateful.