The past year and a half, it seems every time we turn around, tragedy hit our community. Each tragedy was different in its own way, but tragedy is just that. It shakes you from the inside out. It hits home, whether it be your immediate family or a total stranger. Whether it be a terrible disease/health issue, death, or a natural disaster. It causes an ache in your heart for those that it affected directly, and a knot in your stomach from the reality that it can happen to you.
I’ve seen cancer attack babies and adults, I’ve seen mothers and fathers grieving over losing a child too soon, I’ve seen the aftermath of a tornado that tore apart a whole community. Amidst all of this, I’ve seen people show up to lend a helping hand, I’ve seen people hit their knees in prayer, I’ve seen lanterns floating in the sky, I’ve seen different denominations come together as one, I’ve seen enemies comforting one another, I’ve seen memorial floats in our hometown parades, I’ve seen shirts and bracelets being worn to honor or remember someone (even in different states), I’ve seen firefighters come from a fire department at the bottom of our state to donate a fire truck to our very own, I’ve seen people gather together to put on different events for families that tragedy has hit, I’ve seen pure LOVE shown in SO many ways.
I may be a bit partial, but our little community is amazing. Small towns have their disadvantages, I know, but the good outweighs the bad by a long shot. Our town may be smaller than most, but the love is definitely bigger! No doubt!
We will never, on this side of Heaven, understand why tragedy happens. It’s hard not to question “why?”, “why did this happen to such good people?”. 1 Corinthian 13 verse 12 says, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I am also known”. Someday we will see from God’s perspective, but in the meantime we have to remember to trust Him. Keep our faith in Him, and know He will carry us through. Even when we may not realize it, He is there. Carrying us through by the love of others in our small hometown.
“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13
auntablog 
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