This crazy world we live in

Life may be sweet in Sugar Land but not so in the rest of the world. I've become much more aware (and concerned) due to recent news reports from other parts of the world; especially since I have a son serving in the military in Iraq and a daughter serving a church mission in Russia. I'm not super nervous about their safety ...at least for now. My son isn't directly involved in the fighting in Iraq and is in a very secure location. But I have to admit my "Mom radar" has gone up a notch or two with regards to my daughter since the fighting broke out between Russia and Georgia.

Mind you, we have been reassured by her mission office that they are safe and not in any danger but I always worry about random acts. One never knows when a complete stranger might get fed up and "lose it" and decide to take his/her frustrations out on someone they perceive to be the cause of their problems. We've been told that the Russians are a "little upset" by some of the comments president Bush has made and have made a few "retaliatory comments" of their own in response. As a result, on the advise of the U.S. Embassy in Russia and the Area Presidency some missionaries near the border have been temporarily moved to safer locations further away.

I also have distant cousins that I correspond with in Holland. They have connections to Georgia so they are even more concerned with the latest events taking place there. One is a member of the ministry of defense and has been working to get Georgia into NATO. His younger brother is married to a woman who is from Georgia. He and his wife (and her brother) live in Holland but her Mom and other family members live in Tiblisi which is the capitol of Georgia. Her mother was in Holland for a visit when all this began and now is afraid to return. She is able to phone her family and friends daily and watches the news reports through out the day. She and and her daughter are saddened to see the destruction of their home land but so far their family and friends are safe.

It really is a small world and getting smaller all the time. It's too bad that we can't play together nicely in this big sand box we all share and just get along!