A Matter of Perspective

I was languishing in bed on Sunday morning, trying to ignore the cues from my family that it was time to rise and shine. I was very busy hosting a one-woman pity party, carefully cataloging my recent disappointments: health issues, parenting challenges, lengthy to-do list, epileptic dog...My favorite country radio station came on and I tuned in to a discussion on faith in difficult circumstances. What a coincidence, Lord. Although it is a popular Seattle radio station, the morning crew is conservative (for Seattle) and rarely misses a chance to express their Christian world view. This morning's guest was Debbie Lee. Her son, Marc, was one of the first Navy SEALS killed in combat in Iraq in 2006. According to The Oregonian, "U.S. Navy officers told Debbie Lee that her son died after single-handedly holding off enemy fighters as his team rescued a wounded soldier from a rooftop. During the two-hour battle, Marc Lee fired 100 rounds against insurgents..."
Here is a woman who lost her son almost three years ago. He was only 28. If she is bitter, she did not mention it. She did not criticize our nation's leadership or blame the Navy. Instead, she recited Psalm 27 from memory. In the first verse, David writes 'The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?'
I won't list all 14 verses here, you can read it on your own or maybe even memorize it. After hearing her story, I wasn't feeling quite so sorry for myself. Mrs. Lee reminded me that God is always faithful, even when we lose something that is very precious. He uses challenging circumstances to mold us and shape us in ways we probably never expected. Marc Lee's story and his mother's response has reminded me that my attitude toward life's circumstances is really a matter of perspective.