Shon came home last night – the first time since December 6th. Shon is my friend and employee whose wife & daughter were in a house that exploded on December 5th. They, along with the 3 others in the house, were airlifted to a burn hospital in Augusta GA that night. Shon followed the next day. We’ve missed him a lot.

His wife has been discharged from in-hospital, but remains an outpatient w/ daily physical therapy. She & Shon are living in an apartment on the hospital grounds. His daughter, 2 years old, fared much worse but is progressing. Her surgeries are complete and she’s beginning the process of re-learning everything she had learned in her two short years. One of the other children didn’t make it; she died 3 days before Christmas.

We’ve all learned some lessons from this experience and God has worked in some great ways in spite of the horror of the event. Personally, I’ve been overwhelmed at the generosity of people who didn’t even know this family. Most folks, most of the time, are good-hearted and will give as long as there’s a need.

We’ve learned to order our priorities aright. Petty squabbles are seen for what they are – childish and useless – in light of life&death situations. People matter more than things and relationships are precious. Dependence on God is absolutely necessary at all times, not just when things go wrong.

Shon, we’ll be glad when you come back to work; not just because we miss you and need you here, but because it will mean your family is nearing complete health. Our Heavenly Father is, indeed, The Great Physician.