I have driven the same car for the past thirteen years. It died yesterday.

The father of my one of my oldest and dearest friends is dying.

Dreams die. Hope dies.

If we let it, life can be about death. It can be caught up in what is wrong, what is evil, what hurts and destroys.

Lamentations 3 talks about bitterness and gall. I think it is referring to when the bad weighs us down so much that we no longer can trust, we no longer can love. We are dying ourselves from the poison of dwelling on the negative, living in fear.

“Because of the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed. His compassions never fail.”

We can and must move and live within His love, His mercy. We should dwell on what is good, the promises He keeps, the blessings He gives. That is where our courage lies. That is where strength and beauty, compassion and forgiveness come from. That is where we find love, real love.

Dedicated to the Waardenburg family. See you on the other side Frank.