I read the newspaper this morning with sadness. I learned yesterday that the young teenage boy who had been swept away while swimming in the river last week was found. We all had feared the worst and it was confirmed. The paper just confirmed the story and told a tragic tale of how a young boy, never once fearing he could be harmed, was just having fun with his brother and friends and was taken away too soon from those who love him and those who would have loved him. I am in mourning for his family and praying for them to get through this difficult time.

While readig the story I was taken back to a summer day over 30 years ago. We lived in Northern New Mexico and often went to the site of our church camp in Southern Colorado. We would go with a few families and we would all camp, hike, have cook-outs and just have fun. One of those "fun" activities was intertubing on the Dolores River which ran right behind all the cabins. My brothers, friends and I did this many times, always in old cut off jeans or even long jeans, t-shirts, and old, needing-to-be-retired sneakers. It was great fun and usually the river was fairly tame. But this one particular day the current was stronger than usual. We set out in with our tubes and jumped in. There was a group of us and we had an older person with us - Deanie was her name. I don't remember if she was an older teenager or already in her 20's but she was there to "watch us". All was going well during the ride downstream when suddenly I got caught up in a current. It dragged me towards the bank of the river and lodged me underneath a branch. I was struggling for air and trying desperately to break free, unable to call for help. It seemed like this went on forever, but I'm sure it was only seconds. I did break free (obviously) and never told anyone about this. Especially not my parents. In looking back I probably didn't have any idea that God saved me. For some reason he allowed me to live through that. Now, some 33 or so years later I am wondering if I am doing the work that he had in mind for me. There must be a reason he let me live. My prayer today is that I am living up to what God has planned.