thoughts on the news of the day: joy and sorrow

hmmm…..

            What does joy look like?  Today it looks like the radiant smiles of Prince William and his new bride, Kate.  A royal wedding took place early this morning and billions of people watched.  Happiness surrounded the event and commentators on television couldn’t gush enough about the grandeur and excitement of the day.  Joy seemed to be wrapped up in a beautiful package and distributed worldwide.

            What does sorrow look like?  Today it looks like the destruction and devastation of the tornadoes that ripped through the southern states of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee.  Even my home state of Arkansas was not exempt from the ravages of the spring storm.  Hundreds of people lost their lives and thousands of people lost their homes and businesses.  Pictures on television describe the sadness and grief of a whole section of the country mourning loss.

            Joy and sorrow – seems impossible that two such opposite emotions would be showcased on a day like today.   But they are.  There is joy and there is sorrow in the world – and oftentimes it happens simultaneously.  So, we need some time to catch up on it.  We need some time to look at joy and rejoice; we need some time to look at sorrow and grieve.  And in the midst of it, we need somehow to find where we are and where God is.  For God is there through our happiness and joy – through our pain and our sorrow.  God is always there.

            hmmm…..