"AND AS IT IS APPOINTED UNTO MEN ONCE TO DIE, AND AFTER THIS THE JUDGMENT." HEBREWS 9:27

Tonight my heart is sad since I have had a day of sobering news. I have met Pastor John Vaughn from Greenville, S.C. several times and have taken him fishing here in Alaska a couple of times. He has eaten at our table and never forgets to compliment Mom's cooking when I see him. He took particular interest when Kevin died and had his church have special prayer for Vicky when he heard her testimony. Today the headline in the Greenville News ran: "CHAPLAIN'S SON DIES IN TAYLORS COLLISION" Pastor Vaughn's 28 year old son, Daniel died from injuries incurred last night at 11 pm when he was hit by 2 cars while attempting to cross Wade Hampton Blvd. "he was a brilliant young man and full of life." John Vaughn said. "He brought much laughter to the people who knew him and loved him."

I had a couple of emails last night telling of a death in that horrible train accident in California last week. While we were on the mission field in Japan, Edith Long was a special friend who prayed for us. We met her at Hampton Park Baptist Church. She was a German language teacher at BJU. She went to be with the Lord on September 7th. Some of her family were on that train as they were returning home from the funeral. Her son Paul joined her in heaven and Paul's wife and son were injured but will survive.

The third tragedy happened to a an elderly couple who were walking on the sidewalk on Oakdale Drive near their Greenville home last evening. A vehicle drove onto the sidewalk, struck and killed them both, and kept on going. Bill Carey was 70 and his wife Ruth was 65. Their son Billy Carey Jr. said his parents took walks every morning and had been married nearly 46 years. They had four children and six grandchildren. "If I could have made my parents, I couldn't have made them any better," he said. Carey said his father was a deacon at the Tabernacle Baptist Church. His mother taught Sunday School. They lived in a brick ranch-style house for about 40 years. Aaron Carey, 16, said he had been turkey hunting with his grandfather and had been looking forward to hunting deer with him for the first time. "I loved hunting with my grandpa," he said. "We'd go to Hardee's before and get some biscuits and gravy. He loved that."

One 27, another probably about 45, and a couple 65 and 70--four souls in eternity for no fault of their own. My dear children and grandchildren we can't be prepared for deaths like these, but we can be prepared for the judgment that will follow.