Mixed Emotions

Yesterday was a day filled with "mixed emotions." They day begin by helping our son get ready to depart for his summer internship in Spain. He will be there for nine weeks. This will be the longest time we've been apart. He's been to summer camp, visiting grandparents, and he's even been to Panama for a couple of weeks for a missions trip, but nine weeks seems like an eternity right now. It was really difficult trying to go to sleep last night knowing that as I lay my head on my pillow, my son was in the air over the Atlantic ocean. My mind wanted to think about all that could go wrong. My heart wanted to focus on the empty and lonely feelings that I wanted to have. But instead, I prayed and thanked God for the opportunity that He has given my son to minister and to be ministered to during this missions internship. I rejoiced in the fact that I have a son who has given his heart and life to the Lord to be used for his glory and honor. And I went to sleep and rested.
But let me get back to some other things that was going on yesterday. A sister in Christ was weeping because her brother has stage 4 cancer and has only six months to a year to live, a friend on vacation in Georgia had a heart attack and will have to have bypass surgery. A young man that went to school with my children was killed over the weekend. His brother just died in a wreck five months ago. How can a Mother's heart bear the burden of loosing another son?
Sometimes you can't help but ask, "why do bad things happen to good people?"
All I know is that God is in control. He loves us. He cares for us. He will never leave us or forsake. I know I can trust Him. I know His way is perfect.
During my sermon on Sunday, I had just made the statement, "God never promised smooth sailing, but He did promise a safe landing." I also know that Romans 8:28-29 is very true and that one day "we'll understand it, all by and by."
Romans 8:28-29 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren.
Will you join with me in "Rejoicing with them that do rejoice, and weeping with them that weep." (Romans 12:15).