What do we expect?

Our sweeties, the Country Cousins, in their much-too-hot-for-Florida-but-cute-as-a-button outfits. This is the picture they submitted with their "music" for the regional competition. I say "music" because one of the judges made the comment on their judging form, "Next year, submit string ensemble sheet music". As Daniel (who will be old enough to participate with them next year) would say, while doing those two-finger air quotation marks, "Yeah, right!" Have you ever tried to find bluegrass gospel music written for every instrument? So we just submit singin' music from the gospel song book.

This year they combined songs for a "Medley of Mountain Hymns". Sarah started out with a plaintive fiddle solo in minor of Come, Ye Sinners, then joined by the rest. It transitioned into Brethren, We Have Met to Worship, and then slowed down for Angel Band. Sarah and RG traded instruments, and RG closed it out with Will the Circle Be Unbroken. It was a good combination. They placed first and played for the whole crowd one evening. They love playing for crowds and do well when there are more people.

Well, what does that have to do with the title? Nothing. The title came from the events of the week -- a tragedy to be sure. How terribly sad for parents and families, as well as for the university family in general. I don't need to go into detail here -- we all know how bad it was. My concern is hearing pundits and government officials acting so surprised when something of this nature occurs. But realistically, if we believe the Word, what do we expect? We have seen the devaluing of life in so many ways in our culture. We have fostered a "victim" mentality -- "it's not my fault", "I can't be held accountable", "I deserve better".

A sovereign God is not impressed with, first, the culture we have allowed to developed; and, second, the emotional "feel-good" response we have when the law of sowing and reaping actually comes to fruition, surprise, surprise. I am not heartless. I am mourning with those who mourn. May the God of all comfort become very real to them at this time. I am just looking at the larger picture here. If we don't sow the valuing of life in the culture, we will continue to reap the devaluing we have been seeing. As my husband always says, "Sin will take you farther than you want to go." Well, enough of that. God help us.