The newspaper today is filled with heartache, terrorist attacks, murder, theft and mayhem.  The world-wide financial woes paint a prolonged recovery period; tragic  family disputes end in murder;  a trampling death at a Wal-Mart store, with people rushing in the day after Thanksgiving in hopes of saving a dollar or two. There is massive pain and suffering around the globe. Network and cable news shows cover the same disasters, trying to make sense out of the senseless.

I am troubled, grieved for the loss of human life and for the threat to our own way of life.  But because I am a woman of faith, I do not despair completely.  I believe that God will see us through, despite our human weaknesses. I refuse to allow the darkness to overshadow my hope for the future.

As if to illustrate the point, I get the news moments ago that my niece, Mandy,  has given birth to her second child.  The long awaited beautiful baby girl has arrived, a precious reminder of the goodness that still exists.  The pictures arrive by email and the innocence reflected in that sweet little face encourages my heart and fills me with optimism.

I will continue believing, trusting, and praying for Katelyn and all the children, that they will be bright lights in a dark world, that their generation will do better than we are doing right now.

The Schoolmarm