Mr. L is out of town. We talk a couple times a day so I can hear about his running 10 miles in the Orlando heat and humidity and he can hear about my getting my 10,000 steps walking laps in my air-conditioned house. We all do life differently. We also discuss those most amazing creatures known as grandchildren. I think he got a bit teary when I sent him pictures of our grandsons receiving their kindergarten Bibles in church yesterday.
Shortly after one conversation, he called and asked if I had heard about one of my dearest friends. I said that I had not. He briefly explained what had happened. He sent me the email he had received which had a fuller explanation. I was stunned.
As the wife of one of the leaders at my church, I have a rule I try to follow. If I learn something through any source other than a church wide email, I keep it to myself. That way, I avoid the very appearance of gossip. Upon reading this email about my friend, I immediately broke my rule and called another precious friend and explained. We both agreed, this was not gossip. We shared our dismay and agreed to call one another if we heard any more.
So, what happened? My friend was car-jacked, in a parking lot at the school where she teaches, at 11:00 pm. I try to tell her that nothing good happens after dark, but she's a night owl, not a morning person. She had been working on a bulletin board for her classroom with the moniker, "believe there is good in the world." In her words, quite ironic. As she got in her car, she received a text from her daughter and pulled over to text that she was going to be driving and could no longer text. She heard a tapping on her window and looked up to see a young man with "a big grin" on his face and a gun in his hand. He told her to get out of the car. She reached over to get her purse off the passenger seat, when a second young man with a gun told her she would not be taking her purse with her. She did, however, apparently take a mug with her that was in the car. Go figure. A third fellow walked up and they told her, "run, lady, run." She did.
As she explained all this to me, she said, "I am so glad they did not kill me. It would have ruined their lives." Folks, that is good in the world. That is empathy for the plight of misguided young men without the sense to know what far-reaching consequences their actions can have. Oh, they robbed my friend of her money and her car and her credit cards and her keys, but they did not take anything of real value from her. They did not touch her spirit or kindness or empathy or concern. They claimed a victim of sorts, but they have no idea what they have wrought, for they now have a fierce believer, fervently praying for them. I sense lives are about to be changed.
Today I wish you feelings of gratitude for that which could have been but is not. I know that I am very grateful that my friend, Betsy is safe. Pray with me that three boys come to understand that they chose the right person to rob. They don't know it yet, but they have a prayer warrior dogging their every move. I hope they are caught. I hope they get the opportunity to look her in the eye, and be moved by the mercy they will see there. It is a day to celebrate. Truly, there is good in the world.
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