Priorities

Somebody walked by Lynn and I sitting on the couch. I don’t remember who it was all I remember is telling them, “Janet has been in an accident and she might not make it.”

It wasn’t long before we were all huddled and Dale Cupo had us praying. The prayers were all focused, all the same. “Lord, please spare Janet’s life. And please spare her leg. Please restore her."

Deb Kurtz came in and joined our prayers not knowing that we were praying for her dear friend. She was shocked, stunned.

The imminent tea was suddenly on the back burner. The decorating that was in desperate need of attention was still desperately in need.

The reshuffling of priorities when tragedy hits is surprisingly refreshing. The expectations of life return to a nonstress status. The nonessentials remain nonessentials. People come into focus. You count your blessings. Your material possessions count for nothing. You squeeze your children a little tighter, kiss your spouse a little longer, and love your God a little deeper.

Our prayers stopped and everyone began the networking process that technology afforded us. Everyone who knew anyone was on their cell phones to California asking their friends if they knew where Santa Clarita was. Overnight a town in California became a household word in the Morgantown area.

Brenda Goss came close to me and put my face in her hands and said, “It’s going to be all right, Lynne." That was it. The plug came out and the tears poured.

“She can’t die. She can’t die," I uttered helplessly.

There was no control factor with the sobs. From the depths my cry came. But there was also a knowing that came. The knowing that God was going to spare her. She wasn’t going to die. This was Janet. Janet would fight. She wouldn’t let go of Him pulling her through.

California seemed like Mars. So far away. The boys needed comfort, Jerry needed comfort, so far away.