Lancaster Symphony Orchestra

Today, as I do each year, I took my fourth grade class to the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra's concert for children. In preparation for this event we study the families of the orchestra and the instruments in each family. (The fourth grade teacher is in the middle of the back row - barely taller than her kids!!)

The event used to be held in the Fulton Opera House, which added so much "class" to the atmosphere. Now, however, it is held in the Good Shepherd Chapel at Lancaster Bible College.

Each year they feature the winner of their youth talent contest. This year's winner was 16-year-old Nicole Sauder. She did an AMAZING Mozart piece.

The biggest thrill of the concert was guest trumpet soloist Rodney Mack playing a most difficult piece - Carnival of Venice. Absolutely incredible!!

I wish such a delightful concert were the only thing on my mind tonight. But my heart feels heavy and troubled. It seems like there are too many people facing deep sorrow, and I hardly know how to comprehend it or what to do with it. In just one week's time I know of three families experiencing tragedy.

In one family the grandmother (a few years older than myself) just died from pancreatic cancer, her husband already had died of cancer several years ago, and her daugher, the mother of three school-age children, is in a coma from brain cancer. (Update: the daughter died the day after I wrote this post.)

Another family lost their grandfather just five days after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, then just a few days after the funeral, a two-year-old grandson was killed in a freak farm accident. The little boy's funeral was one week after the grandfather's.

And just today I learned that the father of some of my former students commited suicide on Friday after an intense year of severe depression. He leaves behind him a wife and four children ranging in age from 19 to 7.

I know this is a dreadfully low point on which to leave this post. But these are real families suffering real sorrow. They can't just click the mouse and get away from it.

GOD!!!!! As we pray, please miraculously carry them through these dark days.