Whatever is excellent or praiseworthy, think on such things

Kids choose right now to believe in Santa. There is so much evidence against him, so many questions and contradictions and yet they choose to believe.  They will even sit on a strangers lap just because he is wearing a fuzzy red suit. They choose to think about the fun, the magic, the toys.

Whatever is true, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy, THINK ABOUT SUCH THINGS.

 It's from Philippians, it's etched on my wrist, and this afternoon as I reflect on the tragedy at a local mall, and this devastatingly awful tragedy in Connecticut, I am looking at it, and I am clinging to that verse.

Life is full to bursting of tragedy, grief, pain, awfulness. But it is also FULL of good, wonderful things.  Wonderful things like makeup counter boys who helped customers escape Macy's the other day, and went back into harms way to help more people. Wonderful things like babies, born everyday.  Babies like the elephant born at zoo here.  Have you looked at an elephant, they are hilarious and beautiful and amazing, like so many animals on this incredible planet. There are sunsets and sunrises. There is so, so much good, all around us. Like a college student who spent his morning with my son's class, because he has invested himself in our family, and my son loves him, and wanted him to be his "Special Person". There are good things and good people.

So I will pray desperate prayers for peace that passes all understanding for those families, and I will hold my children tighter, but I will choose to think about the good, the praiseworthy.  I will in my fears and desperation for the pain of life, choose to believe in a good God. I will fight like crazy to be thankful for the blessings I have and to find comfort in the amazing people God has put into my life, for however long they will be there. I will choose to look for joy in this season and to pray that someday those that are mourning will be comforted and find joy as well. I will choose to think that my kids are safe in their school on Monday, because if I give into my fears they won't be any safer.

It's not easy on days like today, but I don't know how to live any other way. I choose to believe in a God that creates wonderful things, that comforts us, that chose to be with us that first Christmas.  I choose to have hope. Whatever is good, pure, right, lovely....