memories of Patriot's Day..

Living in Massachusettes for many years gave us opportunity to enjoy many a Marathon Monday. It is a holiday. It is a school break for children. There is a Red Sox's game as well as the marathon. It is the feeling of warm weather after very long winters. It is the third Monday of April. Daffodils blooming. Forsythia in grand array. Buds on trees if not in bloom. Easter holiday is passed and Patriot's Day is an outside fun kind of day especially in Boston.

We had a service planned for Sunday in Connecticut so we travelled north last Friday night so that we could spend time with Ryan and Lauren. We spent the entire day in downtown Boston. The city was buzzing with marathon preperation on Saturday so we walked the finish line beside the metal barriers, we walked under the grand stands. We walked in the medical tent. We saw the marathon store setting up. We walked Boylston and Newbury Streets from 10:30 in the morning till we sat down to eat at 2:30. There were lots of tourists with cameras. Little did we realize that in just two days it would be a crime scene. I was really bummed that we had to leave and not be able to take in the marathon like we did in years past.



Having Ryan and his fiancee in Boston as well as Lauren's family made me very concerned when I heard the news of a bombing. I believe that the new church launch, Anchor Boston, is there for such a time as this. He went down to Boyleston Street today, after showing his ministerial credentials and drivers license he was able to get through. He is concerned of course for the Berkeley students that have been attending Anchor Boston so he wanted to be where they are.



Tonight I heard a doctor from Mass General say that his patients woke up this morning after having limbs removed saying, "We are so grateful to be alive." What a perspective. They thought they were going to die so waking up even without a limb has given them a new look at the situation.

Although the world is praying for Boston, there are prayer vigils tonight there with prayers from Boston. What a fragile world we live in. Sadness. Desperation. Fear. Unsettledness. How can we know when we are safe or where we are safe? We have to trust our anchor Jesus. He holds our lives in His hands today and tomorrow.