I hardly know what to write tonight. I opened up my computer this morning to the story that ws rocking the country about the mass shooting in Las Vegas, a city we love and have lived in. I think tonight the number of killed rests at 59 and the number of injured from either bullets or being trampled by the horrified masses of people stands at over 500. I can sympathize but not understand or comprehend the panic and fear and horror of the crowd at the moment. Nor can I begin to understand the sadness and despair of the families of all of those victims. I can’t even begin to imagine what must occupy man’s mind to make him purposely plan to assassinate as many people as he could; people who were simply enjoying a concert in the warm night air. What would make a man work for four days carrying weapons and ammunition up to a hotel room with no other thought than murder on his mind? And — for the victims and their families — there will never be closer because the coward killed himself rather than be taken by the police. So, there will most likely never be an answer. I can at this point, only pray for the souls of the deceased, the families of and all of those injured, and for our nation as a whole.

On the other hand, I say I don’t know what to write tonight because Ms. Kate and I continued on our vacation and saw some absolutely beautiful scenery and buffalo, and elk. We crossed though snow covered mountain passes and down into beautiful green meadows, rushing streams where fly fishermen fished for trout. It was a constant reminder of the glory of God Almighty.

If I might ramble here for a moment, here are some of my thoughts. I have no doubt that Satan grabbed the mind of a man in Mesquite, Nevada this past week and convinced that man of something that required him to commit mass murder and destruction. But God was there too. God was with the hands of the first responders who saved more lives than were lost. God was with the police who were able to find the gunman before he could do even more damage. God has been in the hands of the doctors and nurses all day today and the hundreds of other unknown heroes who helped people escape the carnage and gunfire. Satan controlled one man and caused a lot of damage; but God protected 22,000 others and walks tonight in hospital rooms and with grieving families. And God was on the mountains with us today providing living proof that while some people may do evil things — God’s world is not evil. As Linda Randall sings, “The God of the mountain, is still God in the valley.”  God was in both places today, and I give God praise and gratitude. Peace.